


phantom skin feeling the cold air

by Lee_Mix



Series: Phantom Skin series [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Family Drama, Loss of Limbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-04-20
Packaged: 2018-03-05 01:13:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 68,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3099473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lee_Mix/pseuds/Lee_Mix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An end to a regime does not always bring peace instantly. For Ikki, it's a long upward climb to feel better again, and with only one hand to claw at the ground, she wonders if she can truly find any semblance of normality again. Luckily for her, she's not the only one on the hill, and she's most certainly not alone in her battle.</p><p>(Or the many struggles of Ikki, the kindness of Asami Sato, and the inner strength of Ikki that even she wasn't aware of)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ikki is not Ikki, people get heartbroken, and Ikki is numb to it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I wanted to write about something other than Korrasami for once, what did I end up writing about? My other favourite little rascal: Ikki. Does anyone else find this girl utterly precious? And I am so glad she got an episode focused on her rather than Jinora or Meelo. I love those other two, don't get me wrong, but...Ikki. She's just so precious. And so I began to think, "well, what can I write about her?" I then began to ponder about possibilities that could have occurred in the series finale. Especially when looking at the scene where Ikki saved Jinora. I thought, "maybe I can expand on this? Casualties of war are rarely just adults or front-line soldiers. Sometimes heroism is done in the smallest acts, but take the biggest amount of courage." Plus, I wanted to expand on Asami's engineering talents to cater to those in need. I'm pretty sure she was the one who designed Korra's wheelchair at the end of the third season, and having Ikki in a spot of being a casualty of war really spurned my interest. I would like to apologize in advance if I am misguided or in anyway offend anyone who has prosthetic limbs, as this is a subject I have not written about before, and whilst I have done my research on this, I am sure I will get some things wrong. If anyone can consult me on how to write this better or to fix anything in the long-run, believe me, it will be much appreciated. I guess it's my idle curiosity on how this world handles certain subjects that implores me to explore it in my own vision, but I know I am bound to get parts of this subject matter wrong. Nonetheless, I hope you do enjoy!

It all happened so fast.

Ikki was eleven years old, and should have been at her home, prancing around with spirit eagle-rabbits and playing hide-and-seek with her less-than-enthusiastic father. She should have been pestering her mother that she was  _"old enough"_  to go out in town on her own to buy the latest dresses which had an assortment of bright pinks and purples on them. She could have been with Jinora and Meelo, bickering over who-got-what desert and who-sat-where on the dinner table when Korra graced them with her presence.

Ikki should have been able to explore the freedoms of being in her last years of childhood before teenage years hit her harder than a swatter on a mosquito.

"Ikki? Dear? Dinner is almost ready, are you coming down?"

Her mother's voice had always been warm, Ikki said nothing. She remained on her bed, looking wearily out at the spirits frolicking in the winds, and for a brisk moment, wished to be one of them.

She heard her mother's footsteps come closer, before feeling a weight on the end of the bed. Her mother was careful not to alter her daughter's balance, for fear that she could have fallen.

"Ikki, you can't stay up here forever. Please, honey, come down. Just for dinner, that's all I'm asking you. Jinora misses you." She paused. "We all do." Ikki heard her mother's voice cracking through it's steeled defences. Nothing was solid since that day. Not at all. Perhaps having everything grounded would have been best for her, considering she was an Airbender, but she wasn't sure. Ikki isn't sure of anything, not since that day.

_She finds herself tumbling into a war of two sides who thought they were in the right. In the midst of all that chaos, she sees her sister and her father, falling down after trying to shield the other from that colossal mecha's blast._

_"Ikki! Grab Jinora! I'll get Dad!"_

_It is one of the few times she didn't argue with Meelo over something, and instead, she battles against the currents of air trying to tell her this speed wasn't natural, but nature is damned because "that is my **sister** , I'll save her no matter what", and she plummets down, parallel to the skylines that are slowly being obliterated, and embraces her older kid sister in her arms._

_Ikki anticipates on landing just shy of the rooftop of the old tea shop her father loves to visit so much._

_Brief thoughts of the aftermath of that day come into her mind: her complaining she hated tea, Jinora tutting her to mind her manners, Meelo being Meelo, and her father and mother just chuckling at their antics._

_She doesn't land on the rooftop._

_"_ Korra…" Her mother exhales slowly, trying to prevent her heart from pouring out to her daughter. Ikki reasoned that was the case, anyway. Everything just made so much more sense when looked at in cold logic. No more rainbows and glitter potions. There wasn't any point in thinking all that. She was too tired to try. "Korra is here. She wants to see you."

"...She does?" Ikki is surprised how different her voice sounds. It's so tired, so hoarse, so lifeless. But the very fact that Korra was there now, made some small amount of life return in her dimmed eyes.

At the very least, it pleased her mother.

"Yes, honey, she does! She really wants to see how you are, and she's staying for dinner, too." Mirth, excitement, genuine happiness. All radiate in her voice. Ikki turns around to glance over at her face. She'd been crying again. The sight of it made her stomach churn, but she was too tired to speak of it. It was only then she discovered, just how much energy it took to speak every day. How had she managed it so effortlessly before? The very thought was a mystery to her.

Ikki's eyes flickered over to the discarded Airbender suit that Asami gave to her last year, crumpled up in a heap in the corner. Not much use now.

"...I'm coming." She saw her mother open her mouth, and chose to interrupt her before she said anything, "but I can come down on my own."

"Are you sure? I can help you if you want-"

"I'm fine."

The bright smile that had played on her mother's lips had vanished in but an instant. Ikki regretted her harsh rebuttal for assistance soon after, as she saw her mother merely retreat through the door with a silent nod. Ikki wanted to apologize, but her patience has worn down in the following weeks since the battle. She knew that her mother only meant well, that she was only concerned for her well-being, but Ikki just wanted to be trusted to do a few mundane activities by herself.

The door slid closed, and Ikki was left standing alone in the barren room. There weren't any more pastel paintings colouring the walls; most of them had been torn down last week. All of her playful spirit friends are warned away by her screaming fits and everything else that decorated her personality has been shoved to the sidelines.

The one thing that hadn't changed, however, was the body-length mirror that hung aimlessly by the window. Slowly, she walked over to it, seeing her reflection in full view.

Bandages adorned her entire body. She was dressed down in nothing but brown-cotton Her left hand traced the slight scarring on her cheek.

_Shrapnel digs into her skin, slicing her cheek until she can almost taste the air through the hole. The very sensation pulses overwhelming heat through her, emitting a whimper, but all she can think of is Jinora's safety. She's scared, she's crying, her arm is crying out from the pain; but Jinora is still out of it, so she has to get her to safety._

Jinora's foot ended up getting a few cuts from that as well, Ikki remembered. She was so heavy that day, but somehow, the adrenaline had carried the dead-weight for Ikki to manage to get her to somewhere that she could have been protected.

Of course the 'important people' always gets protected. What am I to them all, then? It was a spiteful thought, but one she felt was justified. Her father nearly died to save Jinora, so many times. Plus, Meelo was the son he'd always wanted, and Rohan was still a little kid. What did they need her for? Someone to get in the way of the 'master who will lead us into a new age' being harmed.

Ikki stared at her face. At the way it contorted, twisted, turned into a sneer when she thought of her family.

It was  _ugly_.

It was just a skim of hatred, but it was enough to settle in her gut over what she had just thought about. Her brows furrowed, her lip trembled, and like that, the young Airbender began to wail.

Deep sobs ruptured from her throat, blubbering incoherent words as her cheeks grew red with grief and anger. She went to her knees with a violent, sudden fall, and her eyes began to heat up with the familiar pain yet again.

_I've had enough! I've had enough! I want my life back! Why did it have to be stolen away from me? What did I do?_

Those thoughts played like a mantra, and soon they took up space in her lungs. There was no more room for her at all, only those words, and soon her mind was incoherent with anything else.

_I can't breathe! Why can't I breathe? Someone help me breathe!_

"Ikki!"

Was that Korra? Ikki couldn't see past her blurry vision, with those feelings utterly blinding her.

"Ikki, Ikki, look at me."

"C-can't," she rasped, as Korra held her up by her shoulders.

"Ikki, I need you to listen to me, okay? Okay?" Ikki managed to nod at that, though her mind was still hazy, and Korra's warm grip had been the one thing keeping her from getting lost in that fog of a mind. "I need you to stand up. Can you do that for me?"

Ikki didn't nod but did comply, with her left arm wrapped around Korra's shoulder as she carefully ascended from the floor.

"Good, that's good," Korra said, and smiled at her, which caused Ikki's heart to stop racing so fast. "Now, when I count, you take a deep breath, okay? Odd numbers when you breathe in, even numbers when you breathe out. We've practised this before, just in case. Can you do that for me?"

"...Mm."

"Ready? Okay, one…"

Air flooded her lungs, and she felt rejuvenated somewhat. Echoes of the fall, however, don't cease.

"Two…"

_"Ikki…" She hears Jinora mumble, "get out of here…"_

"Three…"

_"Are you crazy? I can't leave you behind! You're my sister, and Dad would kill me! Why does everything always have to be about you putting yourself in danger for other people? You may have tattoos, but you're a kid like me! You being a master means nothing now!"_

"Four…"

_She feels her tears well up, "I can be a hero just as much as you!"_

"Five…"

_"Stop being stubborn, Ikki…" Jinora's fading in and out of consciousness, and it would just be so much easier if she could make up her mind, "run…"_

"Six…"

_"Me stop being stubborn? You're the one who's acting like Lin did four years ago! You don't have to be the hero again!" Her protests run dry when Jinora glares at her, with worry creasing her brows and becoming ironed into her skin._

"Seven…"

_"I said, **go**."_

"Eight…"

_" **No**."_

"Nine…"

The flashes stop running through her mind, and Ikki found herself at peace. For the moment, anyway. Korra helped her through this way before, and it was just as crucial as the first time her native element escaped through worried whimpers.

"Ten."

The last slow breath left her lips, and Ikki couldn't bring herself to look back up at Korra. Her shoulders still quaked from the tremors of a battle not yet won, yet she was supported by the pillar of strength that embodied itself in the form of the Avatar.

Instead of meeting the Avatar's gaze, Ikki instead gazed out of the window. Though the blinds had been drawn shut, there were still cracks within the surface, allowing a little sunlight to kiss the inside of her room. Snow fell softly, landing on the ground with little purpose other than to find somewhere stable and safe to settle. The trees, once green, were coated in a cape of white cold, like blank canvases readying themselves for paint to be splattered upon them. The very thought of paint splattering over a blank space once enticed Ikki to her very core.

Now? Now, she just doesn't have the energy.

"Ikki, can you speak?"

"...Yes," she said because there was no other response she could have said that wouldn't have caused her to tear up and cause a storm of emotions to battle against Korra's warm touch.

"Good, that's good." Korra paused, before stroking the bandaged part of her right side. "Ikki… I want you to know, we're all here for you. I know… after what's happened, it's hurt you. But I want you to know, you're not alone. You'll never be alone."

"Mm…" She whimpered. Those words resonated with her more than Korra would ever be able to understand, and Ikki was pretty sure she felt a tear slip down her cheek once again.

"Ikki?" Korra's hand didn't leave her right shoulder and dared not to move it.

Ikki hid her eyes with her fallen bangs, disheveled and tangled. Her odango buns were with her Airbender suit; discarded.

"...Korra," Ikki's voice was shy and hesitant, but she knew that Korra would give her all the time in the world (and for the next ten thousand years, or more, no matter how many lifetimes passed), which spurred her on, "am I...broken? I can't...airbend very well anymore. My suit doesn't fit me anymore. I can't... everything's so difficult."

Korra glanced over to the suit in question. She saw the hair-band tied up around the right sleeve two days beforehand until Ikki had cut it off in a rage.

"When I was poisoned, after what Zaheer did to me, did you think I was broken?"

It was a tense topic to bring up. Neither woman liked the imagery that emerged from the incident- _Zaheer's insane rambles, Korra weakly grasping for her father's hand, "Sweetie, it's me, Dad," and then it all goes dark_ \--but it was something that Ikki remembered well.

"...No. You looked...really sad. I wanted to help you. But I didn't think you were broken or anything." Ikki sighed, "but you didn't lose anything, Korra."

"I lost a lot. But no, I didn't lose anything physically." Korra's gaze didn't leave Ikki's left hand stroking her right shoulder, feeling the absence of the other limb more prominently. "But that doesn't mean you're broken."

"Other kids made fun of me in the city, Korra! They called me  _weird_!" And the tears sprung up again, "they said I was just like that...that...that Red Lotus lady! The one that had no arms, the one that hurt Aunty Kya! They said I was going to end up just like  _her_! All because I lost my arm!"

Korra rummaged through her brain to try and search for something to say, something comforting. "And you know who else doesn't have something, but she was still strong? Toph Bei Fong. She's blind, Ikki. She doesn't have sight. But she never let it stop her."

"It's not the same!" She protested. Her mother gave her the same lecture already. "She was born with it! I wasn't supposed to be like this! I'm not supposed to be like this! I-I'm not supposed to be like this…"

"Maybe you weren't, Ikki…" Korra hushed her softly, wrapping an arm around her in a quiet embrace, "but it's happened all the same, and nothing will come of you denying it. I'm not going to lie to you, Ikki, it's going to be a lot harder to get back who you once were, but you've got so many people that care about you."

She didn't need to say anything else after that.

Ikki, with much hesitance, eventually did go down to join the others for dinner. Though she didn't make much in the way of conversation, she appreciated that her mother had already pre-cut her food so that she wouldn't have difficulty. It was quiet, as most dinners had been in the aftermath of Kuvira's onslaught on the city, but with Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding coming in the following two months, preparations were underway.

Ikki glanced at the absence on her right shoulder. At the phantom limb that she saw next to her bowl, the one that she knew nobody else could see. Maybe she'd be able to find the courage to attend.

_"I'm not leaving you here to die!"_

Just, maybe.


	2. Rainfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions rise, tempers flare, and perhaps rainfall can heal some wounds. Or at least present possibilities for healing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for those of you that may have been confused in the last chapter, the trauma Ikki is going through is both mental and physical. For events that will be unravelled, Ikki ended up losing her right arm to a mecha blast, and is haunted by flashbacks of it. That, and she's harbouring shame over blaming her family for what she's lost, and it's hurting her. The only person she can really 'trust' with this is Korra, for she has been through something similar. A kindred spirit, if you will. Like I said in the last chapter, this is a new subject for me to write about, so ANY criticism would be much appreciated. It's uncharted waters for me, and I want to know I'm doing the best with my limited scope on this subject. I'm also not too used to writing children, so any help on that would be much appreciated. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :)

The following days of Kuvira's regime collapsing under its own weight were ever-so-busy, fraught with chaotic schedules as an expansion for Republic City wore down Tenzin's time to spend with his family, much less govern the new arrivals from the fire nation that had discovered their Airbending talents.

Ikki, though still very much distant from the others (especially Jinora, though stolen glances from her window to her older sister in the courtyard had been awkward and painful, to say the least), had observed these new arrivals with a garnered interest. A majority of them were young-Korra's age from when she first came there, she guessed--and modernistic in the way they dressed. From what she had picked up from whispers of the acolytes, they had formed their own version of 'street' air bending, utilizing on copied fire bending poses and using them to perform stunts that archaic Airbender may have frowned upon.

It was interesting to see just how air bending had begun to evolve in different areas. From the rigid expectations her father had of what the culture of Air Nomads should be about, it was nice to see someone who expanded on what  _they_  wanted to do with their abilities, not just what they were governed to perform.

Ikki rubbed her right shoulder and sighed. How she  _wanted_  to join them down there, take elements of what they had learned and created something even better! This is what Grandpa Aang would have loved to see, and she wasn't able to have the chance to try?

_I could go join them if I hadn't taken the blow for stupid Jinora. This is all her fault! All of this is her fault!_

The thought crossed her mind before she was able to stop it.

Immediately, she rushed to the privy to throw up, nauseating smells blocking her nose. The noise she made was wretched, and she collapsed to her knees soon after.

_Why did I think that? Why am I still blaming Jinora? Grandpa Aang had his whole life stolen from him by the Fire Nation, but he was still friends with Lord Zuko! **I'm so horrible!**_

Covering her face with her remaining hand, Ikki began to weep silently, tears falling from her eyes to the floor and creating pools that reflected what little light she allowed in. Ikki had learned to cry in the bathroom when everyone else was in the courtyard—it meant no interruptions.

 

* * *

 

How much time had passed since Ikki had fallen asleep, curled up on the privy room floor, Jinora had little idea.

Perhaps it was her spiritual capabilities that lead her to sense that there was some unease in the air, or maybe it was natural sisterly kinship, but the moment Ikki had fallen to her knees, she had the inkling something wasn't right. Nothing had been right since the day of the Colossus, but even more so than usual.

Finding Ikki on the floor, dried-up tear tracks on her cheeks and an angry frown on her face answered her question almost immediately. Jinora had gently carried her over back to her bed, pulling the quilt over her, and sighed at the sight.

Her sister, her  _baby_  sister, was hurting.

And it was her fault.

She could re-connect the Avatar to the source of their power, help bring down a terrorist organisation, bridge her soul to project wherever she pleased, but there was naught she could do to quell her sister's suffering. Suffering that she had caused her.

How  _defiant_  she had been of her orders that day. How  _determined_  little Ikki had been to save her sister's life. Looking back, Jinora  _knew_  she would be dead without Ikki's stubbornness. That look would be one she would never forget, and forever inspire her. How one brave girl, just shy of becoming a teenager, had single-handedly saved her life from something akin to a cosmic blast. The memory, though haunting, was something Jinora took motivation from to become better. If she could just saythat to Ikki, let her know how thankful she was. But each time she tried, her throat turned dry, and she left the doorway without a word. Sometimes, she would hear Ikki shuffle away from the doorway on the other side of the room, and the rift would continue.

Ever-so gently, Jinora combed some stray locks from Ikki's face, before tracing the outline of her cheek. She bore witness to the multiple scars flecked underneath her eye and nose, with the burn that she had acquired going all the way up to her neck, though the majority of that injury was concealed by the numerous amount of bandages. Ikki had lost her right arm that day and had ended up trading it for the slim chance so that Jinora would have a longer life.

"I'm so sorry, Ikki." Jinora said quietly, "if there was something I could do to help you, I would do it in a heartbeat. But then again, what could I possibly do that would be of any use to you now? Even if I could turn back time to that one moment, could I have truly have saved you from all this pain?"

"...Mm?" The noise, no matter how quiet Jinora had intended it, was enough to stir Ikki from her slumber. Jinora's eyes snapped open, and she took a step back, off the bed, putting distance between her and her sister. "J-Jinora?" Ikki was just as surprised, back-pedalling against the wall.

"I, uh." Jinora rubbed the back of her neck. "You...fell asleep on the privy room floor."

"I know." Ikki's gaze went downcast. "It's easier to sleep there."

"Uh,  _why_?" Jinora raised an eyebrow in confusion. Ikki was always odd, but she lavished in being able to sleep in her bed. Long lay-ins when she was younger were evidence enough of that.

"Why not?" She spat, brows furrowing.

Jinora's heart broke. "Well, I… whatever works for you. Oh, Mom was wondering if you were coming down for dinner today? I-If not, maybe I could have dinner up here with you like we did when we were younger?" Jinora braved a hopeful smile, "r-remember? When we tried oxen-bird meat sticks without Dad knowing, but we both ended up hating them? Then we blamed—"

"Meelo. I know. Can you go?" The very sight of Jinora was making Ikki's palms sweat, and her shoulders quake.

Jinora didn't notice but felt her heart clench. "A-Are you sure? Dad's going to be gone this afternoon anyway, so it's just going to be me and Mom since Meelo has gone to train with Uncle Bumi, and—"

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Leave me alone." Ikki had completely turned away from Jinora, rendering the latter heartbroken. Jinora felt hollow, and she began to shake, wanting to cry.

"Ikki,  _please_. You've shut everyone else but Korra out, you don't come out of your room anymore, I'm so worried about you, please…" It was then, Jinora began to cry. Ikki didn't notice. "Please, let me help you."

And it was also then, that Ikki sharply turned around, stood up off the bed, and scowled at Jinora.  _Cold._ Her gaze was so cold. Like she wasn't regarding someone who was her family at all "What your problem, Jinora? Why do you have to poke your nose in everyone else's business all the time?"

"Ikki-"

"No, no, what is it?" She was angry. It predominated any other emotion in her body, and she felt an adrenaline she hadn't experience in weeks. It felt good to shout at Jinora. "What is it with you and trying to fix everything for everyone? Why can't you just leave things alone?"

"Well, you're the one shutting yourself out, Ikki!" She shouted back, shaking with tears, "you're the one who won't talk to anyone but Korra! How else am I supposed to react? You're my baby sister, Ikki. I'm supposed to worry about you! I've got to find a way to help you, somehow!"

"Will you  _shut up_!" Ikki threw her arm up in the air, "it's always got to be about you. You, you,  _you_! You think just because you've got tattoos, you can fix everything?"

"Of course not!" She raked a hand through her hair and managed to hold back a hoarse sob. Ikki's words had clawed into her heart, making her bleed on the inside, and she didn't even  _care._ She just wanted her sister to  _smile_ again, anything else could just go away. Jinora just wanted her sister back. "But you've locked yourself in your room, you look lifelessly out the window, and you've barely eaten! How can I just ignore that?"

Ikki scoffed. "Stating the obvious."

Jinora clenched her fist. "You saved my life, Ikki. I'll never be able to repay that." She drew an ironclad breath. "But that doesn't give you the right to huddle up here by yourself and make everyone else worried sick over you. You're being selfish, and spiteful. All I did was offer to have dinner with you, and you attack me with words you know hurt." Jinora looked her in the eye. "And you  _enjoy_  it."

With the final chorus, the crescendo of sisterly spite had ended. For a few moments, Ikki could only stare at Jinora with a shocked expression on her face, her mouth hung agape. Likewise, Jinora could only hold that gaze, with a steeled expression as if she were able to go into battle.

Then Ikki broke the barrier.

"You don't know  _anything_ , Jinora." The anger was still there, but the bitterness was not. Remnants, maybe. "You act like all I have to do is smile and everything will be okay. I've tried. I've tried to do that. But it makes me tired."

"Can't you try harder?" She whispered.

"Didn't Korra try?"

"That was different, Ikki." Her grown-up voice was there again, making Ikki's blood boil. "Korra was poisoned by people trying to kill her. She could barely move. It's not the same thing."

"This is why you  _don't_  understand!" Jinora flinched as voices were raised again, "you put on that voice, try and act like you know what you're talking about but you don't! You're still just a dumb kid!"

Jinora scowled at the insult. "I am not dumb. And I'm older than you."

"Could have fooled me."

It could have been mistaken for sisterly banter, and deep down, Ikki wished that it could have been so. Arguing over who was the smarter one. But every insult, every remark, dug deeper into the scars on her soul, causing her morality to bleed grey, and she wasn't sure what hurt and what didn't anymore.

"Well, when you finally master air bending at eleven, then I'll admit you aren't a dumb kid anymore if you can actually do it." Jinora froze as soon as the words left her lips. It slipped out. It was a mistake. An accident.

But the look on Ikki's face… it broke her heart, her soul, and anything else connecting her to humanity. Trembling lips, wobbling chin, and, oh, her eyes. Anything hopeful that may have remained shattered instantaneously. Her own sister dismissed her chances of becoming a master Airbender.

It happened so fast.

Jinora had tried to approach her, but the tender sound of, "Ikki," had soon turned into a distressful cry. In her vision of red, Ikki had conjured up a sudden blast of air that had caught Jinora by surprise, lifting her off her feet and slamming her back into the wall with a sudden crash!

Jinora tumbled to the ground, her head foggy. Ikki could only stare at her hand in numbed shock.

"What is going on up here?" One voice Ikki didn't want to here. Tenzin had heard their shouting from down in the courtyard, rushed up to see what the ruckus was about, and could only stand in the doorway, horrified. One of his girls harming another. It was nightmare fuel for any man, but Tenzin could barely comprehend what he had just bore witness to.

He snapped to attention when he heard Jinora murmur groggily. "Jinora!" He rushed to her side, helping her sit up. "Ikki, what were you  _thinking_? You could have caused serious harm to the both of you!"

Ikki trembled. She saw the figures of the air acolytes in the hallway, listening in to the drama. Of the younger daughter hurting the leader of a new age. Of hurting Daddy's favourite.

_What about me? What did she say to me?_

"This is some kind of joke, right? It takes me hurting Jinora by accident for you to come and see me?" Ikki was numbed. She didn't care anymore. "I guess only master air benders are worth your time then, Daddy? Not broken ones like  _ **me!"**_

Her outburst ended, as did her presence in the room.

Despite Tenzin calling after her, she didn't return. She shoved passed the acolytes in the hallway, running out into the courtyard and down the steps toward the stables. A few whispers anticipated on what had happened, a few of the senior acolytes had tried to inquire after her, but all she focused on was getting to her bison. She'd only a simple brown tunic and loose pants on, no shoes on her feet at all, but her heart was numb the effects of the cold.

"Skipper, yip-yip!" Her bison had no reins on, only relying on the natural harness of their bond, and before anyone could stop her, she was up in the air.

 

* * *

 

Before Ikki knew it, she was alone.

Skipper had flown off in fear due to her outbursts over Jinora, despite her desperate cries for him to come back, he ignored her. Darkness painted over the red skies of Republic City, and Ikki found herself wandering the vine-inhabiting roads aimlessly, ignoring the looks of pity that befell upon her by strangers.

She couldn't blame them for looking. Her hair was a mess, her clothes dirtied, and the absence of a limb gave her the appearance of a vagrant victim of war. How would people react if they could recognize her as the granddaughter of Aang, the Avatar that created the city in the first place?

At this point, it would be a miracle if she could recognize herself.

Soon enough, clouds littered the skies, and she felt pellets of rain beat down upon her. Anxious, she began running, until settling for a knotted tree beside a classy-looking restaurant. Her father may have been there before-it looked fancy enough-but all she could do was huddle up underneath the roots.

_"Ikki," Jinora's whimpers draw her back into the chaotic mess of a day that she's having, "that thing...it's going to aim it's spirit canon this way soon, you've got to run, you've got to go…"_

_"No." It is the simple answer that escapes her lips again, and Jinora feels herself going faint with worry._

_"Go, please…"_

_"No."_

_Jinora has to give her baby sister credit. Even in the face of danger, Ikki's stubborn nature still persists. Her caring persona still retains it's form, despite the turmoil their family and city face. There are no false pretenses with Ikki. Everything about her is able to be seen in the first chapter of her story._

_Ikki lifts Jinora up, trying to keep the small amounts of consciousness present within her. "You've got to walk, okay? We've got to get somewhere safe."_

_"A...alright." It's a mumble of a response, but somehow she can move her legs._

_"Good! Good, let's go, then!" Ikki smiles, grins, beams, proud of her sister for trying._

_It's more of a hobble than a walk, but Jinora is able to move, and that's the main thing on Ikki's mind right now. She has to get Jinora somewhere far away from here, so Korra can take down the big mecha. The noise it makes causes her to shiver, even more reason for them to retreat._

_Maybe General Iroh's troops are somewhere around here, they can take care of Jinora, make sure she's all patched up and ready for the next fight. She met General Iroh three years ago, with all the Equalists were rounded up and taken to prison. Ikki finds him to be a bit of a bore, but he is pretty cool. If he can help her sister get better, she may even consider putting him on her list of old people that are cool. Toph is the coolest, after all. She would count Grandpa Aang, but she never knew him._

_"Ikki…" Jinora mumbles._

_"Yeah?" Ikki whispers back, turning around a corner._

_"You're going to be a great air bending master someday…"_

_Hearing that from the youngest air bending master in history would be enough to make Ikki's heart swell, but the fact that it came from her older sister is what really made her happy. Her eyes shine with the compliment, and her smile widens because of it._

_"Jinora, I...thank-you."_

"Nng—!"

With a start, Ikki woke up.

Feeling around the damp soil, Ikki shakily sat up, sighing as she looked around. That memory had plagued her dreams since she had come back from that day, and she would continually find herself slipping between realities. It was an almost seamless transition.

The rain hadn't stopped falling, soaking her to the bone. Her hair began dim, and aside from the chatter in the golden restaurant up ahead, it was completely desolate. No onlookers to give her glances of pity, no search party (that she could see). Nobody.

"Korra…" Ikki mewled, snivelling and rubbing under her eye in haste.  **"** _ **Anyone**_ **…"**

Try as she might, Ikki could not prevent the wails that followed, and she curled up against the tree roots, snivelling and weeping. Choked-out sobs ruptured her throat, and soon the very skies held remains of her cries. Some were incoherent, others were half-comprehensible apologies to her sister and father.

 

* * *

 

"So, Miss Sato, do we have a deal?"

Asami tapped her pen against the contract papers, before raising an eyebrow. "Look, Ambassador. I understand your town was hit hard by some of the Earth Empire's soldiers during the Colossus's attack, but I can't agree for Future Industries to build over sacred land. That forest is home to hundreds of people already, and though they don't follow our society's rules, I can't just run them out of their homes to compensate for your expansion. Future Industries will gladly assist with the relief effort, but expansion is focused on Republic City and redirecting refugees to the expansion going on over there." She frowned. "I hope I've made myself clear."

"Miss Sato, I respected your father's work greatly. This is something that will open up employment opportunities! Mining in those forests will power the train lines more efficiently than using steam power!"

Asami sighed again. Meeting with the Ambassador of Yu Dao was exhausting enough, without the added sore spat of mentioning her father. Being the CEO of Future Industries did drag too much, and meeting with someone as stubborn as him was starting to grate on her nerves.

"Yes, and mining there will also disrupt the lives of the residents already living there. Would you have me cast them out in favour of your people?"

"Miss Sato, if you would look at the available resources there, I am sure you would reconsider your initial judgement…"

His voice droned off into oblivion, as Asami had turned to look out of the window, and became surprised at the sight.

A little girl curled up in the rain under a tree. But not just any little girl. She narrowed her eyes to get a better look.

Was that... _Ikki_?

With no prior warning, Asami's feet flew from the seat, remaining blissfully ignorant of the Ambassador's pleas for her to come back and listen to him. Many of the patrons turned a blind-eye to the young CEO's impulsive retreat, though some heads turned in confusion, as Asami swung open the doors and into the rain.

Careful not to scare her off, Asami took off her high-heels, slowly beginning to approach the sobbing girl. Had something happened at the temple? She saw no sign of a bison anywhere, perhaps it was scared off?

"Ikki? Is that you?" Said girl's head snapped up, red from the tears. "What are you doing here? You could catch a death of a cold."

"Asami…? Did my Dad send you?" She was still shivering, but her heart dulled when Asami shook her head.

"No, I was in the restaurant over there. What are you doing here by yourself? Are you okay?" She knelt down beside her in the mud, putting her jacket on her shoulders.

She leant into Asami, exhausted, and shook her head. "I made Dad angry." She mumbled, trying to stop herself from crying again.

So that's why she asked. Asami stroked her back, but not moving. Ikki found herself unconsciously seeking the older woman's warmth, and Asami was all but willing to provide her with it. No wonder Korra liked Asami so much. "Do you want to tell me what happened? You can take as much time as you need to. Don't feel like you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I…" Ikki opened her mouth, but the shame had sewn her voice-box closed.

"Yes?" Asami gently urged her on.

"...Jinora found me asleep on the privy room floor. She carried me to bed." Ikki began, and no matter how hard the rain was falling, Asami was staying here to listen to her. Asami gave her a smile again, giving her reason to continue. "I woke up and got annoyed at her for not leaving me alone. We...started arguing. Badly." The last word was like a sour taste in her mouth, and she sneered at the memory.

Asami was slightly surprised. She knew that Ikki had isolated herself from her family (she herself had tried to approach the girl, but it seemed only Korra was able to get more than a few words out of her), but to hear her arguing with Jinora on a seriously level was more than abnormal.

"Did something else happen?" She didn't allow her personal reactions to show, just to continue to support her. It was the least she could do for the poor girl.

"She...she said something that really upset me." Ikki sniffed. "I-It...was not that bad, but… I lost my temper and threw her against the wall with my air bending. Dad came in and saw me for the first time since the... what happened to me, and he started shouting at me for putting _her_ in danger and...I got angry with him before ran away. I'm a horrible sister, aren't I?"

"Ikki," Asami sighed, wrapping both arms around her in a comforting embrace. "What you did to Jinora… it was mean. I can't deny that, but you were upset. You're going through a lot at the moment. The fact that you can recognise what you've done wrong and feel bad about it is good. Tenzin and Jinora love you a lot. Remember that."

"I-I know they do, but I don't know why I got angry at her. I said mean things, I liked being mean to Jinora. I don't like liking it, but I did…" Ikki mumbled into her shirt. "I wanted to be sick."

_I wanted you to hurt as much as I did. But when I saw you in that jail cell, in chains and looking so thin, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was like I was looking at that kind man my father was again, just after losing Mom. I wanted to hurt you until you cried. In the end, I was too weak. And then, I lost you._

"Sometimes… people think things and do things they later regret. Korra has, I have, everyone has. But the important thing is to know when to move past that, to try and make amends. To think how to make you a better person from those experiences." Asami murmured, stroking her hair.

"Like...like your dad?"

Asami choked up. "Yeah. Like my Dad."

"After he hurt you, did you still love him?"

Asami blinked rapidly, before sighing. "It was hard...to like him. But I still loved him. But he and you are two very different people, Ikki. For one, you're still just a kid. And so is Jinora. It'll take...time. But you're hurting more than she is right now."

Ikki trembled. "I know. It's just...hard being at the temple. Everyone whispers about me all the time. They think I don't hear them. It's all I can hear." She parted away from the embrace a little to look Asami in the eye. "I used to love talking. Now I love quiet."

"Do you want to be in a place where it's quiet all the time?"

Ikki considered it. "Not...all the time. But it would be nice to be away from Mom and Dad, just for a bit. I love them, but it's hard to see...I always feel angry at them. I don't want to."

_Maybe she needs to live away from them, just enough to heal. Not completely isolated like Korra was, but just enough so that she can have some space. It's going to get warmer soon, and with so many people going to Air Temple Island to train up their air bending, it'll be hectic. I wonder if…?_

"Ikki, you've been to my estate before, right?" Asami diverted the subject, making Ikki perplexed. "Did you like it there?"

Ikki bit her lip, remembering. "I liked the gardens. There were lots of trees there. Three hundred-seventy-two, actually."

Asami raised a brow. "Is tree counting a hobby of yours?"

Ikki grinned. "I like leaves too."

She chuckled, before putting a hand on her shoulder. "Ikki, I helped out Korra after her ordeal with Zaheer. If you'd like, you could come stay at the estate and I could help you. It's only me and Mako's family who live there, and though they are a lively bunch, it's quiet during the daytime when they're all working. It's not too far away from your parents either."

Ikki was stunned. "You...mean it?"

Asami smiled softly. "Ikki, I'm not too great with kids, but I love you and your siblings. I'd do anything to help you out. I mean it."

"What if I want to and my Dad says no?"

"Now, don't you worry about all that. If he does,  _I'll_  talk to him about it. Right now, what is it that you want?"

Ikki thought hard. Living with her family was amazing, but it was so hard. Seeing Jinora every day was making her feel ill, with shame and guilt that she was still blaming her for everything, and it escalated to the point of physical harm. What would happen if that cycle continued? Asami wasn't Korra, but she did know about some stuff, and she had been the one who helped Korra out three years ago. She was kind, caring, and though Ikki had never been as close to her as Korra had, she felt like she could trust her.

Plus, she  _was_  pretty cool. She couldn't bend, but she still designed those cool hummingbird-suits.

"...Is it really okay?"

"If you want, then yes."

Ikki nodded, shyly. "I...would want to, then."

As soon as her mind was made up, Asami smiled a little and stood up. "My car is out the front if you need a ride? I can let your father know where you are. Did you want to go back now, or stay the night tonight?" Ikki glanced at the broken bison-whistle. If Skipper had gone anywhere, it would have been back to the stables. Lefty and Skipper had been good friends up till now, so there wasn't much chance of her abandoning him.

Ikki paused. "Would...that be okay?"

Asami nodded. "It would be just fine, Ikki."

Ikki wasn't convinced, looking back to the restaurant. "What were you doing in there, anyway? Was it anything important? Did I make a mess of it?"

Asami glanced back to the Ambassador, and through the window, she could see him impatiently tapping his foot and looking at his watch. Obviously waiting for her to return so he could sway her opinion on draining an area of its natural resources. She rolled her eyes.

"Nothing important. I just wanted a nice meal. Now, let's get you some place dry and warm, okay?"

Ikki nodded, the over-sized coat slipping off of her right shoulder. She smiled a little. "...Okay."

Cars weren't so bad, Ikki decided, as she got into the back-seat of Asami's vehicle. The seats were comfortable, and there was something relaxing about looking out of the window as the droplets of rain had raced down the glass. The sight soon entranced her enough so that she fell victim to the world of slumber, and once she was buckled in, it didn't take long for her eyes to shut, and for her tears to stop. It was the first time in a while she could just  _sleep._

Asami glanced at the young girl through the side-mirror and gave a slight smile.

 _Maybe one day I'll stop being so charitable, but right now... she needs my help._ Asami glanced at some papers sticking out her car-front, then back to the part of the arm that remained of Ikki's previous amputation.  _I wonder if I could... it would take a lot of time, but if she's going to be staying with me for a few weeks, then maybe...?_

Asami smiled. She had some sketching to do.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter here, and I do hope you enjoyed that! Any criticism would be extremely helpful! Please review, and thanks for reading. :)


	3. Phantom Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Defiance ran through her family's blood. It takes words from Asami to reignite her passion for not giving up.

" _Absolutely_  not."

"Tenzin..."

"I appreciate your concern for our daughter's welfare, Asami, I truly do. But Ikki needs to remain with her family right now."

"But if you would just  _listen_ to what I have to offer, you might just reconsider your initial judgement of it..."

"This is  _not_ a business transaction, Asami. Besides, taking Ikki away from her home right now could be detrimental to her health, both mentally and physically, and I will not risk it. Meditation and frequent visits from the healers will help her in her recovery."

Asami sighed, rubbing her temples. After tentatively approaching Tenzin with the subject, he had reacted as she had expected; vehemently denying anything other than his ways would work for his daughter. After finding Ikki underneath that knotted spirit tree, he had granted permission for Ikki to spend that night there, but anything further was something he wouldn't even  _consider_. Asami adored the man, he had offered her a place to stay when her father had turned against her, but she couldn't half get irritated at his stubbornness. For a monk, he certainly had problems controlling his temper. In that regard, he was a perfect teacher for Korra.

But even that concern for his daughter was beginning to grate on what little patience she had left. It was a rather amusing sight; Tenzin red-faced and trying to calm himself, but now wasn't the time to pick out comedy in the situation. Even Pema, though was teary-eyed at the thought of her daughter leaving, whispered words of comfort to try and ease her husband's temper.

Asami Sato may have been a lot of things, but she always got what she needed for other people.

"Tenzin," she began, her breaths slow, "Ikki retaliated against Jinora after a snide comment when awry. How long do you think another incident like that could happen? Jinora is clearly a trigger for Ikki right now, whether she wants her to be or not, and something worse could happen if this continues to escalate to the point where neither of them can control it."

"She's right, Tenzin." Said woman's eyes widened, as Bumi walked in. His hair was tousled, obviously having been practising his air bending manoeuvres. He leaned against the wall of the room, a small smile on his face. Greeting Asami with a nod, he let his presence be known, much to the chagrin of his younger brother.

Tenzin groaned, exasperated at his older brother's nonchalance to the whole issue. "Bumi, have you been listening in on our conversation? I should have known we couldn't keep this away from you, though..."

"Had to see what all the ruckus was about. Jinora's busy coaching the other recruits, so I may as well saunter about. Then I heard about Ikki, thus my nosing."

He rolled his eyes but then frowned. "Either way, my word is final, Bumi. I'm very thankful for Asami's offer, but Ikki is not going."

The former-Commander grew weary of hearing his brother's stubbornness, expressing it by flicking his forehead with a slight air-whip. "Tenzin, I get it. She's your kid! You want to keep her here with her family, keep her in the nest, not let her fly away too soon, all that metaphorical whoo-ha. But you're not considering  _her_  feelings."

The air bending master huffed. "Of course, I have-"

"No, you're  _not_." He snapped, rendering Tenzin silent. A rarity in itself. Bumi continued his onslaught, though spoken word had never been kind to him, somehow they found their way to him. Rather much like air bending. "You're thinking of what will happen to you if she leaves." Bumi frowned. "Ikki has made an attempt to reach out for help, and you're jealous it isn't to you. So you want to help her in your own way that it makes  _you_  feel better about causing her to run off in the first place. But do you really think Ikki wants to stay here, cooped up and trying to deal with problems by bottling them up? That's exactly what I did when I first came back from the United Forces. The things I saw when I was out there… well, I'm just glad I wasn't Ikki's age, but she's got more time to heal. Let her heal in the way  _she_  thinks is the best way. You're her Dad, I get it. But Asami's right. She knows how to handle this better than you."

The stillness of each body in the room highlighted the quietude that befell upon them, which gave Asami a moment to breathe. Tenzin had gone eerily quiet in particular, his gaze averted from every individual in the room. Instead, he was glancing out the window, where Ikki awaited in Asami's car.

"Better than her own  _mother_?" Pema spoke up, quietly, fists clenched.

Bumi sighed. "Pema, you _know_ I didn't mean-"

"Better than me? Are you trying to say I don't know how to look after my own baby girl?" She said, angrily, glaring at Bumi.

If there were a look that could kill, she would have sprayed the entire room red.

"What kind of parent do you take me for, Bumi? My daughter--my  _Ikki_  is hurt! I'm trying my best to help her, and it's better that she stays here! Where we can keep an eye on her, where she can be with people who love her, where s-she…"

"Pema, I didn't mean it like that. You know I didn't." Bumi touched her shoulder, but it was coldly received as she shrugged him off.

"I could have lost  _both_  my girls that day. I could have lost my boys, I could have lost my family. I'm not letting them out of my sight, not where I can't get to them when they need me to be there for them. Meelo, Jinora, Rohan, and Ikki. Especially Ikki. She...she  _needs_  me. She needs all of us to be near her." She looked up to Tenzin for support, gripping his hand desperately, "tell them, sweetie. Tell them they can't take Ikki, that she belongs here, with us…"

Tenzin said not a word, still venturing into his own mind for a council.

Pema retreated back into his hold, as he put his arm around her. She quivered with sobs, and Asami guessed that she knew her words, though well meaning, were like the air that her husband and three children could shape to their will-powerful, but empty. She adored this family, for housing her when she didn't have anywhere else to go, but they could be irritatingly stubborn. Especially when it came to the welfare of their family. Still, it seemed Bumi's words were having an affect on Tenzin, and she sent the older man silent thanks.

"That's not the only reason I offered for Ikki to come and stay with me."

"Oh?" Pema wiped under her eyes, curious.

"Future Industries has a history, albeit a smaller line of our production, of producing basic cosmetic-based prosthetics for patrons that have been victims of war," Asami explained. "They do have limited functionality at the moment, but I've been thinking of altering their design, to see if they can offer up more functionality at the expense of an aesthetic appeal. It's a project my...father was going to do for handicapped non-benders who wished to take part in sporting events, but it's something I  _think_ would be able to help Ikki out as well."

"So why would you need Ikki to stay with you if that's what you're planning to do?" Pema inquired, "we're only across the river from your estate, it would only be a boat-ride and back. She wouldn't have to go live with you."

"That's just it, Pema." Asami sighed. "First, Ikki needs to be somewhere quiet. That's what she says helps her, and with all the new residents here, she's scared they're going to be gossiping about her. I  _know_ they aren't and you know they aren't, but it's a childhood fear to be teased by people they dub as 'cool'. It's inevitable, you know that." Pema nodded in understanding, much to Asami's relief. "And second of all, the restoration for Republic City is taking up a majority of my time. Tenzin, you understand, but it's handy if she's nearby when I get even a small break."

"How will you be able to design a prosthetic with a short break?" Bumi raised a brow, intrigued.

Asami threw him a grin. "You'll be surprised what an engineer of my calibre can do in ten minutes, with the right motivation of course."

Bumi slapped his knee and laughed. "Hah! Ah, why didn't we enlist you into the services when we had the chance, hm? You would have shown up my boys like there's no tomorrow!"

The engineer gave a slight chuckle in return. "Me? In the forces? Seems like too much of a rigid lifestyle. I like my own space. Anyway," she turned back to Pema and Tenzin, "I really think having Ikki at the estate would enable me to closer study her condition and help her to manage it. I did look after Korra after her ordeal with Zaheer, I know how to help someone cope with this." Asami went up to Pema and took her hand. "You helped me four years ago by taking me in. Allow me to repay you by taking in your daughter and attempt to improve her life, even a little."

"Asami, listen to me, sweetheart..." The older woman tried to speak but little came out other than hoarse breaths. "You are such a kind person and thank you for what you're offering to do already. But you've got to remember that Ikki is still just a child. She's coming up to twelve. Korra was an adult, eighteen. There are huge differences. Are you sure you'd be able to manage?"

She squeezed Pema's hand. "I'm sure, Pema. I'm sure."

Though he didn't move, Bumi spoke up again. "Tenzin, think about what's best for Ikki right now. The woman knows what she's doing. Let her help. Don't be as stubborn as Mom was when she tried to keep me from enlisting." Katara was not a woman to be reasoned with when it came to her children unless it was her children doing the reasoning. Bumi prayed that Tenzin wasn't the same.

Tenzin drew a deep breath, before exhaling. He gently ushered Pema off of her, before putting a hand on Asami's shoulder. "The  _second_ something goes wrong, Asami, she comes home to us." He warned, but then gave a somewhat fatherly smile that made Asami choke up minutely. "If she needs something you're unable to get, you tell me, and I'll go to any corner of this Earth or Spirit World and personally get. Even if it's some obscure flower that makes her feel better for a minute, and I'll personally retrieve it for her."

"I won't let you down, Tenzin. If she desires anything at all, you'll be the first to know." Reassured, Tenzin took his hand off of her shoulder, before suddenly embracing Asami tightly. The engineer was shocked, frozen, eyes wide. She hadn't known Tenzin to embrace anyone other than his family (counting Korra). So to be on the receiving end of a hug was...odd. Good, but odd.

Not to mention the fact that it was oddly reminiscent of her  _own_ father. Before his demise, before everything between them became wrecked with tainted eyes, back when he was the father that would read her stories of times where Spirits wandered freely over the plains of what was now the Earth Kingdom, of lovers, divided by war and could only meet in jade-lit tunnels (complete with a poor attempt at singing on his part), and the result was her eyes beginning to sting.

 _"Thank-you._ _"_ He murmured, before letting her go. "Are you alright, Asami?"

"Mm!" She responded a little too quickly, putting on a smile, "of course! I...sorry, I was caught a little off-guard. I..." She saw the eyes focusing on her, and feeling constricted, sought for a way out, "I-I should go and tell Ikki the news, then."

"Do you think she would be up for saying goodbye to us?" Pema asked, making Asami forget about her internal distress for a few fleeting moments. "Just us. Jinora, Meelo and Rohan don't have to be there."

Asami thought hard. "I'll...go and ask her. But she may still be too scared, so I won't push her. Okay?"

Pema sighed. "...Yes, that's fine. Thank you, sweetheart."

"I'll go with you." Bumi announced, "she was speaking to me the last time I saw her, so she'll probably be okay with me being there. That alright, missy?"

She nodded. "Yeah, she did mention wanting to see you again. Something about your pink earmuffs?"

"Ah, that." He scratched the back of his neck. "She's a little peeved that I broke them. It involved trying to air bend a goat into one of Iroh's navy ships, and don't even get me  _started_ on when the dragon-fish tried to breathe fire on Iroh's new medal..." He saw Asami's stunned expression. "It's a... long story. I'll explain another time."

"That would probably be best." Asami agreed.

 

* * *

 

Ikki woke with a start as she heard voice chattering, drawing closer to the car. Peeping out the window, she let off a small sigh of relief that it was just Asami and her uncle Bumi.

She gripped the handle to open the car, and used her foot to push the door as steadily as she could, before hopping out and approaching the two of them slowly. The look on Asami's face didn't seem apologetic, so Ikki guessed she had some reasonably good news to tell her. Did her Dad actually  _agree_ to her idea? That it would be better for Ikki to stay at her estate instead of Air Temple Island?

"Um..." She began awkwardly, scuffing her foot in the dirt, trying not to seem so anxious. "What did my dad say about it? Did he say no?"

Asami knelt down to her level, looking her in the eye. "No, don't you worry about that. In fact, Ikki, he agreed to you staying."

Her eyes lit up. "H-He did? Really?"

"Yes, he did agree. So did your mother, though it took a bit of convincing to do. You can thank your Uncle Bumi for helping me out there." Bumi just have a proud grin, making Ikki's heart warm. Bumi was always someone who had Ikki's back-perhaps it was the penchant 'middle-child syndrome' and him lacking air bending abilities that made them relate to one another so much, but she always liked his company. When she found out he was going to live with her so many years ago, she had been so happy that she'd flown straight up onto the temple roof and wouldn't stop singing for six hours. "However, Ikki..." Ikki's hope faltered for a moment, before Asami continued, "they were wondering if you wanted to say goodbye to them before you left today. They're in the dining hall at the moment if you want to go."

Ikki suddenly went motionless, crushing her bottom lip under her teeth. Bumi raised a brow. "Ikki? You okay?" He crouched down, looking at her dead-on. "If you don't want to go in, nobody's gonna force 'ya. You know that, right?"

"B-But... Mom will be sad if I don't." She mumbled, shaking.

"It's nothing she can't handle, kid," Bumi assured her, putting a hand on her right shoulder (to which she flinched a little, but didn't deter his touch. If anything, she welcomed the fact that he wasn't as repulsed by it as much as she was). "Pema's one tough lady, don't go doubting how much she can take." It felt odd to hear her mother's name, but she braved a small nod.

"She is...strong." Ikki tugged on the hem of her t-shirt with her hand. "Do you really think they wouldn't mind if I didn't?"

"I won't lie to you, Ikki, they'll probably be sad." Bumi sighed, plonking himself down onto the ground in a heap. "But they're strong people, they'll get over it. You've got to do what's best for  _you_ and if there's one thing your father is, it's understanding to his kids. Once he's had a verbal assault from yours truly, that is."

"Could you tell them, please?" She asked, and Bumi just pulled the girl in for a hug.

"I'll do anything for you, Ikki. You know that." Ikki's lip trembled, and she buried her head into his shirt, trying to stop herself from crying. She didn't, but he didn't mind one bit. "Did you want me to tell Jinora or Meelo anything?"

"I..." She shook, but nodded. "C-can you tell Jinora I'm sorry for hurting her?"

"Will do, kid. Will do. But for now, you just focus on getting better, you hear me?" He poked her nose, making her smile a little. "It's not going to be easy, I can tell you. But you're a brave soul. You'll get there. Everyone's rooting for you to get to that finish line, so anyone who doubts you, prove them  _wrong._ "

"Th-thank you, Uncle Bumi." She snivelled before she felt him pull away from her gently, and he wiped under her eyes. "Like you did with Grandpa Aang and Gran-Gran?"

"Yeah. Just like I did with them two." He winked at her, before standing up altogether. Looking at Asami, he chuckled. "Right, you take care of her. If you need anything, just tell a spirit. Bum-Ju will probably catch some wind of the conversation. He  _is_ a bit of a gossip. Unlike me, he knows when to respect people's boundaries.

Asami raised a brow. "Uh-huh."

Bumi only grinned. "I'll see you two soon!" With that, he departed back into the main temple, and Ikki's smile faltered.

Asami tenderly put her hand atop Ikki's head. "Are you ready to go?"

Although Ikki was about to respond, she suddenly caught the glimpse of Jinora looking out in the skies, hovering over the training field on Kai's bison. She caught her gaze immediately, frozen in her tracks, and though she couldn't see her sister's expression clearly, she could tell what she was trying to say.  _I'm sorry._

_But it's not you who should be sorry. But I keep blaming you for what happened! I'm such a bad sister, Jinora, I'm sorry..._

Asami put her hand behind her back. "We should get going before it gets dark, Ikki." She looked up, "do you...want to say goodbye to Jinora before we left?"

Ikki shook her head suddenly. "N-no. Not now."

"That's alright." To confirm, Asami gave her a little smile, just to comfort her. It was the least she could do for her, after all she'd been through. "Just tell me when you want to, okay?"

With that, Ikki gave a silent bid of farewell to her home. Asami had her car parked on the deck of the boat, and Ikki could only stand at the side, watching as the island got smaller the further they got. Was this how Asami felt when she first came to live with them, away from her estate? Drifting further from her roots, to a place where people welcomed her, but the one person they wanted to be with them caused them pain?  _Jinora..._ Ikki shook her head. She couldn't think of that now. Not even when the Spirits danced around the island and sang for her to return soon, not even when she could hear the distant chattering of the new air benders and the thought of not being near her mother was already making her homesick.

Yet, in spite of  _all_ that, she felt  _happy_ to be leaving, to put all that pain to one side for a while whilst she focused on getting better. She'd been to Asami's estate before, and she liked the gardens. They were big, full of life, and unlike a lot of rich people, Asami didn't mind spirits coming and going from her grounds. Ikki liked that. Spirits were fun to play with, even with just the one arm.

Plus, Korra had been going over to Asami's a lot as well. Though that was in part due to Asami's father's death, but Ikki got the sense there was something more going on. Maybe Korra was trying to be there for her like Asami had been when she got poisoned by Zaheer all those years ago? Or maybe it was something else?

Ikki didn't know. It wasn't really her business  _to_ know.

(Not yet, anyway.)

"We're almost to the other side now, Ikki. Have you got everything?" Asami smiled, opening the door to the car for her.

"...Yeah."

_Goodbye, Air Temple Island. I'll see you soon. Look after Jinora while I'm gone, okay? I just need to stay in Republic City until I get better, but don't worry, you're still my home! You'll always be my home. Just...wait for me. I'll be back soon._

* * *

"Would you take Ikki's things to the spare room I had set up, please, Rin?"

The middle-aged butler bowed as Asami and Ikki entered through the front doors of her estate. "Yes, Miss Sato."

Ikki was in awe of the entire place. Not that she hadn't been here before, but just the  _scale_ of everything here was in stark contrast to the archaic style of Air Temple Island. Everything was glossed and modern, though there were worn scars from the battle that had taken place four years prior (apparently there had been a secret factory, but Asami had everything in there destroyed), and all she could do was stare. Asami could see how much the setting was intriguing Ikki, and simpered, pleased with herself. There was some curiosity not left tarnished, after all.

Watching her butler taking the small bags in her hands, she went over to her and smiled. "Thank-you, Rin. After that, you may take the afternoon off. I know you've been meaning to go and visit your wife and young daughter these past few days, but your duties here have held you up, so please, have the weekend off as well."

"Are...you certain?" Her jaw dropped, and she'd forgotten the usual title to address her employer.

"I am certain, Rin. It's been hectic enough around here without me delaying for you to go and see your loved ones."  _If I'm forbidden to see my father walk this Earth any longer, I won't deny anyone else the chance to see the people they love._

"Miss Sato...there are no words to say other than thank you, but even those do not suffice to how I truly feel. So...again, thank you." She seemed almost in a hurry to put the bags down in the room, and Asami had no qualms about that.

"You're welcome. If you would go do so now, then?"

"C-Certainly, Miss Sato."

Ikki watched her walk down the hallway in a hurry and turned back to look at Asami with confusion. She didn't doubt Asami was a charitable person by nature, but could she really run such a big place by herself? Not to mention, didn't it get lonely here without the people she had employed? ...If she had them employed. Ikki glanced around, not seeing much domestic staff at all.

Asami chuckled, seeing her perplexity. "Rin is one of the only people I have employed, Ikki. She's got a three-year-old daughter, too, so I try and give her as much time off as I legally can."

"Doesn't it get lonely here?" Ikki asked, following Asami around the estate.

"Ah, no, not at all!" She laughed, tying her hair back into a loose bun. "Quite a few members of Mako and Bolin's family have been living here for the past few years, so it's always been full of colour. However, a lot of them are all working at the moment-I got them employment in the lower areas of Republic City, in a few of the stores that sell Future Industries merchandise, so it's usually just Rin, Yin, and a few of the younger children with their parents. Mostly it's quiet this time of day."

"Oh." With that, she found little else to ask about the current state of the house.

"You can go out into the gardens if you'd like. Korra will be around here tomorrow, too."

Ikki's expression brightened. "She is?"

"Mm. She's a frequent visitor these days. Sometimes she stays the night, too. She's just worried about me, I think. Silly girl, shouldn't worry so much about me so much..." For a moment, an emotion passed in Asami's eyes that Ikki recognized as the look her father gave to her mother whenever they told one another how much they cared about each other. Ikki became confused at that, but Asami merely patted her on the head, swaying her from her initial perplexity, "but first things first, would you like to see the room you'll be staying in? There's something I'd like to talk to you about, too. I think it could help you, but I won't do it unless you want me to."

"What is it?" Ikki asked.

"I'd rather talk to you in private about it if that's alright with you?"

The young Airbender mulled it over for a few moments, before nodding. "...Okay."

Ikki followed Asami down the hallway of the grandeur estate, occasionally seeing the faces of what she assumed to be Mako and Bolin's family going about their own daily business. They weren't like the acolytes or new air benders; there wasn't any sense of 'tradition' in this household. Perhaps personal tradition. The way in which one of the mother's dusted over the shelving seemed done expertly, but nothing to cement culture or archaic dedication to a way of life. The various members of the family greeted her with a friendly wave, then simply went back to their business, and not a single word was said about her injury. She couldn't sense any artificiality to them either, which was a great relief.

_I think I'll like staying here. ...I just wish I didn't have to._

"Asami?"

"Mm?"

"...Did my Dad...want me to leave the island?"

Asami stopped, turned around, and smiled a little. Ikki immediately looked down, anxious under her gaze. "No, he didn't, actually. If anything, until your Uncle Bumi stepped in, he was insisting you stay with him and the rest of your family. He also said that if there's anything you need, he'd go to every corner of the earth to find it for you." The engineer couldn't help the smile on her face when she saw Ikki's eyes widen, obviously happy with the thought. Ikki didn't say any more, but she didn't need to.

The two soon got to the room where Ikki would be staying, and Asami gestured for Ikki to enter. Hesitantly, she did, and her eyes utterly  _shone_ at the foreign beauty of the room.

It wasn't that she didn't miss her old room. On the contrary, her heart was aching already, but looking at how beautiful this room was made her heart leap. It wasn't filled with rainbows, or gold, or jewels (she originally thought Asami to be a princess all those years ago), but...

"It's full of vines!"

Spirit vines knotted between the gaps in the walls, and the light of the distant spirit portal made the air glow gold. The atmosphere was quaint, peaceful, but bustling with life surging through the vines. Cracks in the windows revealed spiritual creatures of all kinds, nestling in the estate gardens, wrapping around the trees and creating rainbows underneath their skin. Never mind the large bed and vanity beside it,  _this_ was  _wonderful!_

"How long have they lived here?" Ikki suddenly went up to Asami and grabbed her hand, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "How many are there? How many vines are here? Do they create rainbows with the spirits?  _Are_ there rainbow spirits? Oh!" She exclaimed excitedly, "did you do your magic engineering stuff so you could live here too? Well, obviously, but  _wow!"_

Ikki went off to explore the room and it's functionalities more, and Asami allowed her to venture to her heart's content. Though she stumbled a few times (running around with only one arm had made her balance slightly off-key), she was keen to learn as much as she could about her new room, and it brought happiness to Asami that she was  _finally_ interested in doing something.

_She didn't even wait for me to answer her questions. I think she's just finding the answers out for herself, though._

However, just as she was getting into the heart of her exploration, the desire to venture fourth into uncharted territory vanished with the rising fear that she was doing something illicit, and she immediately withdrew. Ikki went back over to the older woman, her hand fisting the hem of her tunic.

"I...sorry." She mumbled. "It was rude of me to ignore you."

Asami sighed. She'd often experienced this with Korra three years ago. The way she bore shame for doing something in line with her original personality. Still, she couldn't fault Ikki. She was just a kid.

"You don't have to be sorry for exploring. This is the room you're going to be staying in, so you can look around all you want." Asami reassured her, kneeling down to her level. "If you want to go anywhere else, you just have to ask first, okay? There's no shame in wanting to go somewhere else, to learn more about things. It's perfectly fine, Ikki."

Her words resonated with the young Airbender, and Ikki gave a small nod in understanding. Asami could see the mental cogs turning in her mind,  _this is okay, is it really okay? Asami said it was okay, then it must be okay, but it doesn't **feel** okay, but I want it to be okay, _and just smiled at the girl.

"Um...there was something you wanted to talk to me about?" Asami's mind jolted at Ikki's reminder, making the older girl snap her fingers.

"Yes! Yes, sorry." She cleared her throat, "Ikki, you can stop me if you don't want me to talk about it, but...your arm." Ikki flinched but said nothing. "Korra mentioned that you can't airbend as well as you once could. Obviously, it's due to you not being used to bending with one arm, but what else do you think is contributing to it?"

Ikki thought it over, biting her lip. "...I feel angry all the time."

"Airbending requires a clear state of mind, doesn't it? Or at least semblance of spiritual attunement. At least, the traditional side of air bending does." Ikki's ears perked. "But maybe, if you were to explore  _different_ styles of air bending, we could find a middle-ground."

"...Different styles?" Ikki asked slowly.

"I'm not saying you have to change you entire way of bending. If anything, I'm the least qualified to talk about it, but the way I see it, there's trying to continue with an old way of life, and using different styles in order to adapt to a new change. That also comes in the way of  _me_ being able to help  _you._ "

"How...could you help me?" She began to go a little red, embarrassed to ask.

Asami just put a hand on her shoulder. "It won't be easy, but... I could try and make something to put on the end of here," she gestured to the stump on her right side, "that you would be able to move. My company has made something like those in the past before, but if I tweaked the design, it could help you with your bending as well. It wouldn't be like having your arm back, but it would...be  _something._  Does that sound like something that you would like me to work on with you?"

Ikki's mouth suddenly went dry. She had seen Asami's mastery of craft before, of the drawings she had produced, and she had been the one to design  _and_ make those Airbender suits that had revolutionised her culture. She was an inventor and a magician wrapped in a package of femininity and idealism for Ikki to aspire to be, and she was offering to help make her life better in the long-run. Airbenders were not supposed to gain earthly possessions, but Ikki felt like she had struck gold.

Yet...

How would it work?

Asami was so busy these days, when would they have time? Would it hurt? Would she be metal-bended by bullies who grew up and manipulated the art?

"If you don't want to, it's fine, Ikki," Asami assured her again, making Ikki's heart hurt. She was so  _nice._

"I-It's not that I don't  _want_ to, but... my head hurts from thinking about all the bad things." She confessed.

"That's just drafting the ideas. I'd need to design it first, make some sketches, scrap some ideas. That's all part of the planning process. It's good your considering all outcomes, though. Would you like to try and work on me with it for a while, then?"

Asami held out a hand.

Ikki hesitated for a few moments, her hand hovering. However, after all, deliberation, she grasped her hand tightly, shaking on it.

"I would." She gave a sheepish smile. "Thank-you, Asami."

"You're welcome, Ikki."

 

* * *

 

_The world Ikki is in now is unlike anything she has every experienced. On the one hand, it is scary. Blurry voices and distorted faces are all she can see in her peripheral vision, and her head is static. No thought can escape whilst she lays on whatever it is she's laying on (it's not the rubble anymore, it's not digging into her back and making the ground red anymore), but no thought can be conjured up whilst this mask is covering her mouth. Her throat is dry, she can't speak, and the voices are monotone and unhelpful._

_On the other hand, she's back there again, in the fight with the Colossus. Dragging an unconscious Jinora away from the chaotic madness that ravages their lives, and she's tearing up, her hands are scratched and bloodied, and she's wishing that someone comes down and plucks the two of them to the safety of the clouds._

_Maybe Grandpa Aang is watching over them._

_Then, her mind awakens._

**_Jinora!_ **

_The voices are frantically calm, hushing her with words she cannot understand but knows the meaning of, and nobody is letting her get up, her own body feels too light like she could drift off..._

**_Where is my sister? Is she alive? Jinora! Jinora, why are they helping me and not you? Are they even helping me? I don't like how light I am now! Where are you? Jinora, tell me where you are, please? Jinora! Please, Jinora, answer me! Are you okay? Where are you? Where am I?_ **

**_JINORA!_ **

_But no matter how much her heart bleeds, she cannot find the strength to scream out her sister's name, thus every question goes unanswered._

"Nng-!"

Ikki awoke to a cold sweat gracing her forehead and cheeks, and she stayed lain down in the sheets, only bearing witness to the clouded skies above Republic City. It took a few seconds to register that the room she was in now was not her room back at the Air Temple and that realization made her calm down a little, for she has not frightened her mother again with her night terrors.

(Again.)

"Ikki?" Asami called from the doorway, peering her head around the door.

"H-hm?" She replied, her body shivering from the after-effects.

"Is everything alright in here?"

Asami slowly entered the room, still wearing the same crumpled up clothes from yesterday (she hadn't changed into her nightwear yet, and Ikki remembered Korra saying Asami had a bad habit of staying up too late working on who-knew-what), pencil tucked behind her ear and concern etched into her eyes.

"I..." Ikki trailed off, unable to put her fear in words Asami would understand. She flushed, mortified to have been found in such a state.

"Ssh, it's okay." Asami merely swept the younger girl into a hug, whispering words of comfort into her ear. "It's okay, now. I'm here, it's okay, Ikki..." She had to hold her tongue to stop saying  _Korra,_ but Ikki was grateful all the same, burying her head into the older woman's chest and breathing with shaky exhales of air.

She was terrified.

"Oh, Ikki..." Asami cradled her close, stroking through her hair, "we're going to get through this, you hear me? This won't be forever."

"...M-my arm will be forever, though." She mumbled, "Jinora will hate me forever. When does it stop hurting, Asami?"

"You listen to me, Ikki." Stern in her approach, Ikki flinched and looked up. Asami was frowning, but not like she was chastising her. More...like lecturing. "Jinora  _doesn't_ hate you. You hurt her, I know, and you should be sorry for that. But I can understand why you did, just like Korra understood why Kuvira did all those things. It doesn't make what you did  _right,_ but it's a step in the right direction for her to forgive you. But you've got to learn not to hate yourself for this. Hating yourself just makes the pain worse, believe me."

 _"I've ruined everything, Asami! How can I be a decent Avatar if I can't even dress myself! Jinora is eleven and she managed to save more people than I did. I can't do **anything**_ _right. Zaheer was right. I'm **ruined.** "_

"And your arm? Yes, that is permanent. But it depends on how  _you_ handle the situation. You can lament on your failures, or you can see it as a reminder of what you did. Without you, Jinora would be  _dead._ That is a reminder of what good you did. I will do everything in my power to help you, Ikki, but I can't do that until you promise me that you'll work with me, and try and help heal yourself."

Ikki couldn't speak. Asami's words were like that of what she had said to Korra in the past, but tailored to suit her needs, and they  _worked._ Her nightmare was now of past memory, but not forgotten, as she still quivered from the after-effects of being back in that abyss of uncertainty. Asami knew what she was talking about, and Ikki couldn't have been more grateful.

"...Can you stay?" Ikki muttered, shyly, "it's...sleeping alone, it's not..." Struggling to find the words, she trailed off, cheeks flushing red.

Asami rubbed her side reassuringly.

_"Asami, can you stay with me? I...well, it's a long walk back to your room, so...and it's cold, and I'm pretty warm..."_

She had the same answer then as she did with Korra.

"For as long as you need."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: Next chapter, folks! ;A; I can't believe the positive reception this story is getting. It started as a small idea and already it's gaining a following that I didn't expect. Your comments spur me on, and just… thank-you to all that are reading my work. It makes me happy in ways you wouldn't believe. :) In this chapter, it focuses more on Ikki and Asami, with small-ish hints of Korrasami (because, you know, it's canon! I will never be over that) and how they help in Ikki's management of her disability. Again, criticism would be much appreciative, as this is a subject I am trying to write to the best of my ability, but I have more experience in Ikki's mental disability than I do physical, as it is reminiscent of my own health at times. But I hope you enjoy!


	4. Remedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wise words of Lin Bei Fong, "time only heals if you remember to put the damn medicine on." Asami and Ikki find comfort in each other, and baby steps are very, VERY important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to lie, this chapter gave me grave difficulty to write. Not only were the words in my mind not able to manifest, but it also led me to remember some moments that were not pleasant, specifically the part where Ikki's trying to think clearly. I also wish to address the sadly-growing number of people that are hating on Korra after it has aired, and this is mainly due to the Korra and Asami pairing being confirmed. Many don't like it. "Why can't they be friends?" Well, why couldn't Mako and Korra be friends? Why couldn't Opal and Bolin be just friends? Why does everyone always jump on the ships of a heterosexual nature, yet when two girls find happiness in one another, it's a travesty to humankind? Answer me that. Anyway, I do hope you like this chapter, and any pointers on how to improve it would be most helpful.

"Could it be yellow all over?"

"Hm...I don't know if there's a material that would make it able to work that's  _also_ yellow. Copper, maybe, but not yellow. But you could put yellow ribbons on it after it's finished, to make it look a little more decorative?"

"So...it can't be yellow, then."

"I'm afraid not, Ikki."

Ikki sighed. "Aw."

"Come on, let's go back to the basics. We'd have to make a mould of your other arm first, to get the exact measurements down, find out what we're working with. We also don't want to make it too heavy for you to manage, either. But finding out how to do that  _and_ make it operational will require a lot of time to figure out." She scratched her chin, "maybe I could ask Varrick for help on this. ...Actually, I'll ask Zhu Li. She's dragged around dead-weight for years."

It had been three weeks since Asami's offer for Ikki to stay at her estate to recuperate had been confirmed. There had been everything Asami had expected; nightmares, screams, wailing, and a few precious moments of peace for Ikki (or as she called it, "quiet"). There were nights where Ikki would vent her hatred and frustration to Asami after a long day at work, and like with Korra, she would listen patiently until the young Airbender apologized for wasting her time. (She had the same response as she did with Korra, "I promised to be there for you. I don't break those.") Ikki was a curious soul by nature, even if that element of her personality had been quelled by the traumatic experience. Much like Korra, she had also expected this to be.

However, Asami hadn't anticipated on the  _joy_ she would feel when Ikki came around to her Asami had promised, Ikki and she had begun to draft out ideas for Ikki's future prosthetic, and many times, it had been... _fun_ to design again. There was no forced deadline for this, no urgent suppliers demanding to her that she polish up her finished product when she was only in the design stage. It was just a few stolen moments, with Ikki actually smiling a little, adding her input (no matter how childlike it was), but it was such a respite to the both of them. Spirits know the two of them desperately needed it.

She looked at Ikki again, then recognizing the furrowed brows, the biting of the bottom lip. That curious nature was working it's magic again. "Is something wrong, Ikki?" Asami asked, making the younger girl meet her gaze, shyly.

"You really don't mind doing all this for me, do you?" Ikki tapped her hand against the table, "it's just that you're always really busy, making all those cars and stuff. Don't you get sleepy sometimes?"

Asami smiled at her, ruffling her hair. That seemed to be a habit of Asami to do now, ever since Ikki had moved in. "Now, don't you worry about that. Truth is, I like doing this, planning to help you. Honestly, it lets me have more creative freedom."

Ikki's eyes widened. "You don't get to make stuff you like all the time? But I thought you loved making cars!"

The older woman chuckled. "I  _do_ like cars, don't doubt that. I just don't always get to create things that I would like to, Ikki. But the things I help craft and supply help other people be happy, so I don't mind. Sometimes seeing others happy is all I need to put a smile on my face."

 _Korra._ Ikki thought immediately.

Asami noticed Ikki staring into space, and began to grow a little concerned for her. "Ikki, are you alright?"

"Hm?" Ikki blinked fast, coming back into the reality that was Asami's office. "Oh, sorry. I just remembered Korra said something similar about you before."

"...About  _me?"_ Asami's voice went a tad higher, as her eyes widened. She then began to twirl her long hair around her fingers, subconsciously. "Hopefully, it wasn't anything bad!" The laugh was meant to be playful. Ikki thought it sounded more nervous, a tad anxious.

Airbenders were never truly deceitful by nature (not all the time, anyway. She fondly remembered the stories her dad would tell her of Aang, how he put on the guise of a student at a school to help them just have  _fun._ ), but like the air, Ikki decided to try and skirt the waters, test the temperature. She was curious. "No, it was just that you like to make people happy a lot. Korra never says anything bad about you. There're been a few times she won't shut up about you."

"Well, that's, hem. That's news to me. Well, not  _entirely,_ she is my best friend after all, and it is a nice thought." Asami's cheeks slightly dusted pink. She didn't wear blush. "We should..." she cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck, "back to the design."

Asami spoke of things Ikki could barely understand, the terminology of technology a rather foreign concept to her. From what she had read, the Air Nomads weren't against technology in the past, but rather they would only use what they were naturally capable of. The technology wasn't truly something they would consider. But if it came from the human mind, wasn't it still natural? She wondered about the reaction it would have when she returned home.

Ikki's thoughts froze.

_Home._

Immediately, her nose began to sting, as did her eyes.

"Ikki?"

She covered her mouth, leaning back on the chair, and blinked fast. The noise of papers flying and pens dropping filled the air for a few moments before Ikki felt Asami's arms wrap around her, cradling her close, lifting her away from the chair.

"I-I miss before."

"Mm?" Asami hummed in reply, sitting with the girl on the floor, holding her close as she stroked her hair.

Ikki hiccuped, sniffed, biting down on her lip hard enough to draw blood. Asami's hand moved down to caress her cheek, going down a trail she had been with before with Korra.

(Except Ikki wasn't Korra: Ikki was just a child, a child that should have never danced in the ballroom of war. She was too clumsy, too hyperactive, too innocent to truly understand the horrors and implications of the movements within the heat; and the song she had sung before that day had been lost in the midst of voices she couldn't understand.)

Somewhere, the words were found, and Ikki spoke the truth. "E-Even if we do make this new arm, Asami, it won't be like before. I don't want it. I don't want to be like  _this._ "

 _("Don't you get it, Asami? I'll never be like I once was. Because some madman thought, 'hey, let's poison an eighteen-year-old girl! Let's kill her where she stands! That won't ruin her in any way if there's a chance she can survive!' You don't understand_ _**anything** _ _about me! Nobody does anymore! Why don't you just go back to your own life instead of babying me all the time? There's nothing left for you here.")_

"What do you think you're like now, Ikki?"

Ikki's head moved, looking up at Asami with a tearful gaze. Asami's heart broke at the sight. "What do you mean?" She sniffed.

"I mean, you say you don't want to be like 'this'. What is 'this' to you?"

Ikki paused, biting her lip again. "Messy."

"Messy?" It wasn't the term she expected, but Ikki wasn't Korra. She wouldn't be as good at describing every little detail. "Why do you think you're messy?"

 _Stop asking me so much stuff I don't know the answer to!_ Ikki's thoughts controlled what she could hear, and she began to rub her forehead with her hand until the skin went raw. Frantic, quick, sore, but she wouldn't stop.

 _Shut up shut up_ _ **stop**_   _ **thinking**_ **—**

"Ikki?"

Stop stop stop I don't want to think that any _more questions_ _ **you're**_   _not making any sense I'm sorry_   _Jinora_ —

"Ikki, listen to me, you need to try and calm yourself down!"

 _Please stop being so kind I don't need your help I'm better off_ _ **alone**_   _I don't need this I don't need you please stop_ —

"Ikki. Listen to me. You need to breathe, okay? You're going to have a panic attack if you don't try to breathe. You remember how Korra taught you, right?"

 _**You**  _ _don't understand me…_

"You remember, don't you? Korra helped you last week. You can do it, Ikki, all you need to do is try and relax."

 _Are you lying? ...No, you_ _**are** _ _saying I'm able to do it…_

"That's it, Ikki. You've done well, you've done so well. Okay?"

_**...Okay.** _

They didn't continue on with the drafts for the arm that day. Instead, Asami opted to carry Ikki out of her office, back to her room, her safe haven. Ikki didn't say much to her after that, aside from a few mumbled apologies and a half-hearted smile. Tucking her back into bed, Asami just shook her head and told her not to worry about a thing. It was becoming a common routine between them now, one that Ikki wished to cease, but her mind was just so  _messy._ Nothing made sense to her in her mind anymore.

But maybe in time, it would again.

 

* * *

 

"Yes, I understand, President Raiko. However, I am already busy with sending supplies to damaged towns that were affected by Kuvira's regime. I cannot supply your army with any more weapons to overcome the remaining loyalists. Future Industries simply does not have the resources to spare."

Asami rubbed her temples, shuffling through a mass amount of papers that had made their home on her office desk. She fished for a pen through the forest of coffee mugs, bottle-caps and unfinished blueprints, before writing down the numbers that President Raiko told her through the telephone.

"Yes, I  _am_ aware that they are a problem. But I will  _not_  fight fire with lighting. If they have occupied buildings in the southern reach, what good will destroying the homes of the innocent do? We've already had that problem in Republic City with the emergence of the new Spirit Portal. We've refugees of our own at the moment, ones that I am trying to build temporary housing for."

His voice droned into the background as she wearily glanced at the clock.  _1:43AM._ She sighed, writing down more numbers.  _I should have become an accountant. Less stressful._

One comment, however spurred her back into animation, and she frowned whilst gritting her teeth. "Excuse me?" She seethed, "Korra brought down one of the most  _ruthless_ dictators known to this age, and you have the audacity to say  _she_ was the cause of the disruption? No, no, you don't get to take back that statement. Korra risked her life to stop Kuvira! How can you claim that collateral damage is entirely her doing, when it was  _you_ who allowed Kuvira this kind of power in the first place?"

This was not the first confrontation Raiko and she had experienced, but it was the first where his voice had clawed underneath his skin, making her see little more than red. Anger fueled her existence, and it was one particular segment in his next little speech that made her forget her facade of respect.

" _Sacrifices?_ You think you made  _sacrifices_ for your city? I am pouring every minute of my time into fixing this mistake, into helping the citizens of the United Republic. I saw my friends almost die to fight this battle. I know  _plenty_ about personal sacrifices." Asami then gave a sardonic smile. "Or did you forget that I saw my father's blood stain the city streets?"

The line went quiet.

"When you act like a leader instead of a boss, I'll speak with you. But until you do, don't you dare call this number again. I'd rather speak to Kuvira." Asami slammed the phone down so hard it cracked down the middle and fell into a heap on the floor. Her head sunk into her hands, and it took her every strength she still possessed not to let a scream rip from her throat.

Taking a minute to breathe, she glanced over at the photograph on her desk. Of a simple time when her father, mother, and she posed for a photograph for the newspaper to celebrate his successes in creating a more refined version of the Satomobile. Next to that one was one she could remember every detail of.

Respite away from all their duties, she remembered it fondly. Korra had dragged her and the boys out for a night of exploring the city like she never had the chance. It was in the fourth month after the downfall of Amon, when Mako and Korra were tentative about their previous relationship around her. It was awkward, to say the least, but that night had made her remember why she loved them all so much.

The photograph was of them, by the docks, all looking out at the stars. What Asami treasured, however, were the minutes leading up to it. Bolin had wrapped his arm around Mako's shoulders, reminiscing of a fantasy that never was, his youthful eyes full of dreams that would exist only in his thoughts. Mako, predictably, had smiled and rolled his eyes at his antics, and just encouraged Bolin to speak of "whatever made him happy".

Asami had been distant from the group, though not too far away, and had her hand on the railing of the dock, still stuck in her own memories. It had been then when Korra had came up to her, awkwardly, shuffling her foot on the wooden panels. She had rubbed the back of her neck, as she often did, and  _apologized._ For everything. It would have been a tender, bonding moment, if Naga had not come up to Asami and knocked her to the ground in a fit of kisses. Korra had frantically tried to apologize again, but Asami found herself _laughing._ Genuinely  _laughing._ Korra joined in soon after, and Bolin found himself giggling as well (because Bolin), and Mako was just  _confused at the laughter._ It was then someone, maybe paparazzi, had taken a snap, and Korra had stolen his camera with a water-whip. Gave back the camera, but she took the memory roll.

Asami felt her throat lurch, as she covered her mouth.

_Was that really over three years ago?_

She hid her face in her hands again, feeling her shoulders shake.  _Not here. Not now. You can't… not now._

"Asami?"

She lifted her head up immediately, seeing Ikki hovering in the doorway, eyes slanted and hair messy.  _She must have heard me shouting._ "Oh, Ikki… what are you doing up?"

It didn't take long to register for Ikki to see there was something wrong, and she walked in. "Is everything okay? Are you sad?"

Asami smiled, wiping her eyes. "No, no, not at all! I'm just tired, i-it's…" Her eyes darted away, then back at her, and in between frantically, "i-it's…"

The gift of speech had been plucked from Asami's throat, leaving nothing but a gaping hole. It was dry, rough, like trying to speak with a mouth made of sand. Ikki placed a hand on her shoulder which only made the sting in her eyes and nasal passage worse. Asami covered her mouth and made a wretched noise, a mixture between cough and hiccup, and salty tears created black streaks tainting her cheeks.

Ikki was uncertain what to do. She'd never seen Asami cry… well,  _ever_. Adults had cried in front of her before, sure, but that was out of happiness, or she was told to go out the room whilst the grown-ups handled it. Never had she been the forefront of comforting people. Well, except Meelo, but that was when he was little and wanted more lychee berries.

"Um…"  _Come on, Ikki. Do what Asami does when you're upset._ Shakily, she wrapped her arm around Asami, placing her chin on her head. "It's going to be okay…"

 _What am you doing, seeking comfort from a child? Are you truly so idiotic?_ Asami scolded herself internally, but even so, she found herself drawn to the lightness of her touch. Maybe it was an Airbender characteristic.

"Ikki, you shouldn't," Asami rubbed underneath her eyes roughly, trying to breathe, albeit they were shaky. "I-I'll be okay, I just need to…"

To her utter surprise, the young airbender only held her tighter. The hold on Asami was steadfast, anchoring her to the warmth that was her embrace. "Don't be like all those other grown-ups and send me away for just being 'too young'. I don't want to be sent away, please." Ikki pleaded with her. "I can help too. I can still help."

It was no sooner that Ikki's pleads were heard by Asami, that sobs wracked her body, and the engineer held the young girl tightly. Albeit restrained, Asami  _did_ whimper a little, and Ikki did what she could to try and quell the hurt inside.  _She's a child,_ Asami would chide herself, but would then ease herself with,  _but she wants to feel useful._

Maybe this was a remedy they both needed. Maybe it was selfish of Asami to allow all this pent-up emotion released on the shoulder of a child. Or maybe Asami was reading too much into all of this, as per usual. Either way, Ikki wanted to help, so Asami would let her.

After a few moments of heavy breathing, Asami managed to calm herself down enough to a manageable degree, pulling away from Ikki slowly to wipe the tears and the rest of her make-up away from her face. Once the distortion from her vision had been erased, could she finally see clearly?

She saw echoes of a young girl, losing something dearly to her, and begging to be held by one who understood. Not shutting her out because of their own pain.

"Thank-you." The smile that formed on Ikki's face was well-worth anything she may have previously felt.

"I helped?" Ikki asked.

"You helped."

Those two words made Ikki smile even wider, and in the midst of her pain, within the darkness of the night, oh, how Ikki's eyes  _shone._ If the spirit portal's glow had found a home, it was in her eyes. It was a welcome sight to see such happiness in Ikki, even if Asami and she knew it would only be a brief interlude.

"...I'm messy because nothing in my head makes sense."

"Hm?"

Ikki fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Asami chose not to usher another word until Ikki permitted her to do so.

"You asked me this morning. I didn't answer. But I feel messy because sometimes, I'm mad, then I'm sad, and I don't want to feel like that. I feel nasty when I think about Jinora, because I blame her." Ikki ran her hand through her hair, before wincing at the tangles. "But I don't  _want_ to blame her, Asami. That's why I'm messy. I don't know what to feel, because everything wants me to feel everything at once. Dad says I need to remember people love me, but Mom says it's okay to be angry, then Meelo and Jinora say I should just be myself. It...confuses me."

 _("I don't know_   _ **how**_ _to feel, Asami! Stop telling me it's okay to 'feel' the way I do, when I don't even know how I want to feel!")_

"Spirits above, you remind me so much of Korra, Ikki."

"I do?"

"Mm-hm. But it'll do me no good to say you're like her all the time. You're both different people. It's about time I realised that." Asami chuckled a little. "I've been comparing you to her, Ikki. That's not right. I can't expect you to recover the same way Korra did. You shouldn't, either."

Ikki blinked. "Do you know how I'll get better?"

Asami shook her head. "I can read all the books I want, seek out every scroll I can, or listen to as many survivors of similar situations as I can in a lifetime. But I don't know the exact way to help you. I want to, and I will. I just don't know how to, not yet."

Looking down, Ikki searched through her head for answers. "...Maybe we can look together? You could look for a way to help me, and I could help look for a way to help you."

"Me?" Asami said, eyes widening.

"You're sad, too." Ikki pointed out. "I've seen you sleep in your office until it's bright outside. You hide away so nobody else knows you're hurt. I did it too."

"I…" For once, Asami was rendered speechless. With her mouth left agape, she sighed heavily, and patted Ikki's head. "You smart girl. Oh, you're a  _smart_  girl." Ikki's brows scrunched, but Asami only cupped the young girl's cheek. "Okay, then."

"Okay?"

"Let's look for a way to get better together."

Once again, those eyes shone. "R-really? You promise?"

Warmth blossomed in Asami's chest, one she hadn't felt since she had made her body ironclad to the outside world.  _This wonderful girl,_ she thought to herself,  _I will make sure I help her, no matter the cost. I won't do it out of obligation, or being charitable_ — _not that it's a bad thing to do that_ _. But I've spent too many years being "just charitable". For once, I'm not going to do it just because of that. I'll help her because she is_ _ **Ikki,**_ _and she needs me._

A tender smile bloomed on Asami's face, and small cracks of light began to illuminate her office. "I promise."

 

* * *

 

Four cloudless days passed, six shining night skies were the centrefold of Asami's vision of beauty.

It was only when the clock struck twelve that she picked up the phone, and waited. Waited in that scantily-lit office of hers, where the papers of her ideas canvassed her to write down more creativity that she was allowed within the margin of her work.

Frantic footsteps. Hastily-jumbled apologies of having bumped into someone. Asami's heart stopped. Then, the door swung open.

"Asami! I got your call, what happened?" Korra breathed heavily, and Asami took notice of the slight beads of sweat trickling down both of her arms and down her forehead. Had she run all the way here? "Tenzin didn't say much other than you needed to see me right away, which I know doesn't mean you're in danger or anything, but.."

Korra then saw Asami. Stood in the centre of the room, gazing at her with a barely-held in emotion. "H-hey, Asami, are you okay?"

"Korra…" Asami staggered as she made her first step toward her, her vision blurry as she felt her cheeks get wetter within mere seconds of seeing her. In the flesh, in her office, Korra was  _there_. Immediately Korra rushed forward to catch her, shielding her with her strong arms.

The moment transcended into something more. Korra sat on the floor, cradling Asami close as she ranted and wailed about her father's demise, about the stresses of life in general, and how  _tired_ she was of being alone. Predictably, it was followed by a string of "you're not alone" and "I'll always be there for you", but it felt good to get it off her chest and to cry it out in the arms of someone she loved.

 _Loved_.

It was stammered out with hesitation and with her cheeks slightly flushed, but Asami had later asked that Korra not leave her alone. They spent the night looking up at the stars, hand-in-hand, and there they both remained until the sun kissed their eyelids awake. And when they did, they only looked at each other with a fond smile.

 

* * *

 

"Ikki, I'll just be in the other room, okay? Lin will just be next door if you need anything. And trust me, she's not as scary as she looks." Asami gave her a small pat on the head.

"...Yeah, I know."

As the door closed, Ikki found herself tapping her foot absent-mindedly, looking for anything of interest. Asami had some apparent dealings with a few people who had tried to sell some of her items that weren't manufactured by her company, and Ikki had asked to come along. It was idle curiosity of wanting to find out what a police station was like, but most of it was just coloured grey.

The one thing that  _did_ stick out, however, was the black and gold phone perched on top the desk.

_Jinora._

Ikki hadn't spoken much to her family since she had agreed to stay with Asami, but the yearning to hear their voices, to speak to them, had begun to eat her inside. Her father had visited, she had spoken briefly with her mother, but nothing to her siblings.

To  _Jinora_.

Ikki stood up, scuffling her feet as she slowly edged toward the phone.

It was nothing like the radio phone at the temple. It was black, curved, golden numbers. Pretty and ornate, but also...well, weird. It was the one thing that wasn't grey about this office, but it still seemed bleak and dark. The gold numbers were pretty, though. She leaned over to have a closer look, but to no avail. There was no hidden code within the lettering. (She assumed, anyway).

"You like the look of that, kid?"

Ikki nearly fell over from the sudden voice, only to be caught by Lin. Officer reflexes, Ikki guessed. Lin had always been cool.

"S-sorry." She mumbled.

Lin sat down at her desk, flipping a pen out. "No need to say sorry, kid. So long as you don't break anything, look all you want." Lin glanced over to the  _mountains_ of paperwork. "Damn. I forgot all this was here."

Ikki giggled a little, before silencing herself.

"Why were you so interested in the phone anyway, Ikki? You want to call home?"

"I… n-no." Lin raised a sceptical eyebrow at Ikki's hesitance for an answer and sighed heavily.

"I heard about what happened with you and Jinora from your Dad. Poor man couldn't stop  _blubbering_ about it over the phone." Ikki flinched visibly. "Kid, let me give you some advice. When you're young, you do stupid things.  _Really_ stupid things. But don't let them get in the way of mending your relationships with your family. You'll regret the time you wasted later because of your stupid pride."

"Like you and Su?"

Lin closed her eyes. "Yeah. Exactly like me and her."

"...Dad always says that time heals all wounds."

"Not if you don't apply the damn medicine first. You don't want to call her, I can't force you. But take it from me. You'll regret it later. You're a smart kid, Ikki. Don't put something like this off forever."

Before Ikki got the chance to answer, Asami had come back out from the interrogation room with a content smile on her face. Fixing up her hair, she gestured for Ikki to come over. "You ready to go back, now?"

Ikki said nothing as she followed Asami out the door, not even back to Lin. Her walk was slow, as if she were dragging her feet, a war of perspective going on in her head. Everything screamed at her to forget what Lin said, that she knew best, that she could handle one more week without finding out if Jinora hated her or not.

Halfway down the corridor, Ikki listened to the voice that screamed the loudest, and marched right back into Lin's office, leaving behind a perplexed Asami in her wake. Bursting open the door, Ikki was greeted with a knowing smile by the chief of Republic City's police force. "Well, this is a surprise. What's up, kid?"

"I need to use your phone."

Lin was already dialling the number when she gave Ikki the receiver. Ikki released a breath she didn't know she was holding, listening to the tone.

"...Dad? Can you put Jinora on, please?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's the end of this chapter! Hopefully this one was slightly happier than the last. I've also grown to really love writing Asami's character arc in this story. It was one I was going to put as just background filler, but, well... I just love writing her too much. Rest assured, she won't overshadow Ikki and Jinora's relationship growth. Next chapter is going to focus more on the flashbacks anyway! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I loved writing it!
> 
> (Also, the Lin cameo was not even planned. I just love Lin. MORE LIN LOVE EVERYONE.)


	5. Teacups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In where stars shine, Asami proves to be a decent story-repeater, and Ikki is more perceptive than we give her credit for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slight filler-chapter, as I am going to be busy the next few weeks. Still, I didn't want to leave you guys with nothing, so I'm giving you more Ikki and Asami friendship-fluff. I hope you like it! Also, just to let you all know, there's actually a part in this chapter inspired by a little short-story I once heard. It's called "Teacups", and I'm sure it's of Buddhist origin. It's not a very long story, and the message has always stuck with me, and I really wanted to include a variation of it in this story at some point, as it really resonated with me when writing Ikki, so I hope you guys enjoy! The next chapter will have a lot in it, including Ikki adapting to her disability, as well as Asami designing the arm and a certain mad scientist character returning. ;) Why? BECAUSE SCIENCE. I do hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I'm sorry it's not as long as the previous ones!

Falling asleep on an airship on the move was different than slumbering soundly in a room bathed in a golden spiritual glow. It was turbulent, constantly moving, dark, and Ikki was blessed if there was half an hour without a sudden drop.

She lay in the small bed, attached to the steel wall of the ship, gazing out at the small porthole window just a few inches above the end of the bed. The stars were covered in wispy grey clouds, and the rest of the scenery was shadowed out by the veil of night. Beautiful, in it's own way, but she yearned for the light of Republic City. Still, it was this silence that gave her time to think.

Asami had told her of some business dealings she needed to take care of in Ba Sing Sei, and that she would have been away from her for over three days. Ikki knew she had grown a little more confident after the talk with Jinora, but Asami had been a slight anchor to her, so she had asked (shyly, in the middle of the night, with flushed cheeks and stammering speech) if she could tag along. Of course, Asami had no hesitation in saying yes. She barely had any hesitation in bringing her along for whatever journey she embarked upon. Furthermore, if there was any backlash that may have come with Ikki tagging along for the venture, then Asami had sorted it all out, and fast.

Her thoughts were cut short by a quiet 'tap' on the door, and Ikki sat up. "Hello?" She murmured, rubbing her eyes with her hand, and yawning. Ikki found herself frowning at the dried tears around her eyes making her lids sticky. "Who is it?"

" _It's only me. Asami. I'm sorry - were you sleeping? I didn't mean to wake you up at this hour."_ Asami's voice sounded just as tired as Ikki felt, if not a little hesitant for knocking at the hour that it was. Late night? Early morning? Time was a funny thing on an airship.

"No, I wasn't. Are you okay?" She blinked, sleepily, running her hand through her tangled hair and wincing when she came across a tangle.

" _I was just coming in to check on you. May I come in?"_ She could hear Asami tapping her foot on the ground, a nervous habit she had picked up over the years, Ikki had to guess. Or maybe it was after Korra came back? She wasn't too sure, honestly.

"Yeah, sure! Come in. I can't really sleep, to be honest." Ikki found herself yawning once again, though had to squint as she saw the door opening, flooding the room with a dim light. Had it truly been that dark in there?

Asami walked in and sat at the edge of her bed, still wearing the same crumpled-up clothes from the day before. Though it was still dark, Ikki could make out the familiar kinks in her hair, the dishevelled make-up, and just the  _fatigue_ that Asami had. She looked as worn out as her father did, before she left.

"Having trouble sleeping on an airship, I take it?" Asami guessed, her posture slumping a little as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "It was hard the first time I tried, too. Even now, it's difficult."

"It goes all bumpy in the night. I fell off the bed an hour ago and ended up on the other side of the room. On my head." Ikki pouted at the memory, absentmindedly rubbing the bump on the crown of her head. Asami couldn't stifle a slight fond laugh, patting the girl softly on the bump.

"It'll go down later, but I'll take a look at it in the morning, if you wish. Though, I have to see, I am relieved that at least this isn't a military airship. You don't get your own room there. I think you share with five other people. Or was that a submarine…? The details sometimes escape me at this hour." Asami cupped her chin, before shaking her head. "No matter. I heard you tossing and turning a little while ago. Is everything okay?"

Ikki shook her head, not hesitating with the details this time. "I just… I was think about when I spoke to Jinora."

Asami furrowed her brows. "I thought everything went well?"

Ikki sighed, her hand bunching up the quilt in her fist. She could see Asami had pretended not to notice, though that didn't stop the older woman putting her own hand over Ikki's and stroking her knuckles reassuringly. It helped. "It  _did._ She wasn't mad at me. Which is good! But bad. I feel like she should be mad at me. I  _hurt_ her, Asami. She was the one crying, not me. Why didn't I cry until after?"

She could see Asami rubbing the back of her neck, letting off a, what she presumed to be, satisfying 'click'. Asami then leaned against the wall, gazing up at the ceiling. "That's a hard question to answer. I don't think I can. I can't read inside your mind after all, Ikki." Ikki's expression went from hopeful to sad, and she looked down. "But that doesn't mean you were in the wrong, per se."

Ikki shuffled over to rest her head on Asami's shoulder, and Asami in turn stroked her hair. "I'm not?"

"No, not at all." Asami said, smiling down at her. "Sometimes the emotions we expect to feel during a time of emotion don't hit us until after it's ended."

"Like Korra?"

Asami closed her eyes, and her chin trembled a little. "Yeah. Like Korra."

"When I spoke to Jinora, she sounded really tired." The clouds covering the stars had begun to drift, allowing the room to fill with the natural white glow. It was then Ikki noticed just how tired Asami was, with the bags under her eyes returning in full colouration. "She was crying, too, and she kept saying sorry for everything." Ikki wiped her eyes roughly, "and then she said… she loved me."

"Did you say it back?"

"…Yeah, I did."

"But?"

"I still don't want to see her. I-I mean, I  _do,_  but I want to wait a bit longer." Ikki frowned, huddling up her legs so that she could hide her face. "It's not fair. Why did this have to happen to  _me?_ Jinora shouldn't have apologized. I just want things to get  _better,_ Asami. I want things to go back to the way they were before. I want to be better again. I want to be  _me_ again."

Ikki knew she was starting to ramble, and she must have asked Asami about these things a million times over, but hearing the same answers filled with hope made her feel better.

Suddenly, Asami stood up, prying Ikki off of her softly. She then held out a hand.

"Ikki, come with me."

Ikki blinked fast, tilting her head. "Why?"

Asami only grinned. "Come on. I want to show you something."

She was confused. Ever so perplexed. Ikki knew Asami as organized, as someone who planned every detail about everything she had ever invented or created with those hands of hers. She could adapt easily to situations, but spontaneity was a personality trait that Ikki had never seen in Asami.

But offering out her hand, greeting her with a warm smile, and giving her the  _choice_ to follow on if she wanted to, Ikki smiled back, having no thoughts of doubt or hesitation. She took her hand, gripping it tight, and squeezed it.

_I trust you._

"Okay."

* * *

Ikki had to squint to shield her eyes from the blinding light of the moon, as Asami brought her out onto the roof of the airship. Fencing cut them off from the abyss of the space between them and the ground, and up here, the air could dance with the light of the skies. She could feel it in her skin.

"Why are we here?" Ikki asked, gripping onto Asami's hand tightly as they went toward the front of the airship.

"I wanted to tell you a story. But it doesn't really work without the right setting."

Ikki's eyes widened. "You can tell stories?"

Asami shook her head, though didn't seem disheartened by the fact. "I can't create them like others can. But, you know what? I can retell them."

"Oh." Ikki gazed up at the starry sky above them, the clouds having all but disappeared with the wind, leaving open a clearing of velvet and speckled light. It was beautiful, though not to the extent of the golden portal back at Republic City. "What's the story you wanted to tell me?"

"Not  _tell,_ Ikki.  _Show._ " Asami led Ikki out into the centre of the airship, where the moon's light kissed the steel of the ship. Perhaps the Princess Yue herself was setting the stage for Asami's tale. If so, she was a master at setting.

Ikki stayed silent, sitting down and watching as Asami gazed up at the moon above her, back to Ikki, holding her arms to try and touch the skies. It didn't work, but that didn't seem to deter her from enjoying the euphoria of  _trying._

"When I was little, my Mom told me all sorts of stories." She turned back to face Ikki. "She was an author, you know. She loved to write about everything." Her lips quirked into a nostalgic smile, though the look in her eyes was distant. Almost sad. "And I mean  _everything_. Legends, small stories, news-stories, facts. One time she wrote a history book for the Air Nomads. But the stories she told me were the best. The ones that taught  _me_ things."

Ikki was surprised to hear about Asami's mother. She seldom spoke of her, even to Korra, and the only things she knew about her was that her name was Yasuko, and she had died when Asami was a little girl. Now her father was gone, too… Ikki couldn't imagine what her life would be like without her Mom and Dad.

Her heart pulsated in pain.  _You're away from them now, though._

Asami's voice still filled the air around the two of them. "Once, when she was a young girl, no older than I am right now, she went touring around the world. To find herself, or to find more stories. She knew a fire nation scholar, I forget her name…" Asami cupped her chin, "Kiyi? No matter. Anyway, her association with the scholar granted her an audience with General Iroh himself."

"Your mom  _met_ Iroh?" Ikki gasped, "my Dad spoke about him before! He died before Korra was born, though. And me. I wish I'd met him. He sounded cool."

Asami chuckled. "She did meet Iroh, and she said she was as starstruck as she ever been in her entire life. I imagine it was similar to Bolin being awed at Zuko that one time. Well, she managed to have a coherent conversation with him, anyway. I think because there was no 'Mako' figure to bail her out. She was on her own."

"Must have been lonely." Ikki added.

"She liked the isolation at times. Anyway," Asami found she had deviated from the story, sitting down next to Ikki and looking up at the stars. "Iroh had agreed to see her, on the condition that it was the middle of the night, and they both have tea under the stars. Mom couldn't not agree. She had  _so_ many questions for him."

"Did he answer them all?" Ikki asked.

She was shocked at the answer. "No. He didn't answer any of them."

"Then what was the point of the trip?" From what she remembered, tales of Iroh had always been about his achievements after her Grandpa defeated the Fire Lord. About how they called him "Dragon of the West". Sure, she had also heard of his infamous love for tea, but if Asami's mom had travelled all that way for him to answer questions, why was it worth turning into a story?

"Because he ended up giving her the best advice she had ever heard." Asami said simply, glancing at Ikki with a coy smile.

"My mom had spoken to him about her travels, what she had done to get here, about her family, all of that. They spoke for hours about who she had met, until she noticed they weren't speaking about his ventures at all, but she didn't ask about it. She figured they would get to it eventually. Do you know what the first question she asked him was, in the end?"

"What?"

"Why the teacups in the Fire Nation were so thin."

Ikki paused, and rose a brow. "Really?"

She laughed. "It sounds silly, doesn't it? Such a trivial, small question, but it nagged at her so much. So, she asked one of the most legendary men of his time, in the entire world, " _Why are teacups in the Fire Nation so thin?"_ My Mom said that Iroh ended up clapping about it, saying it was the first logical question someone had asked him since people had started requesting audiences with him."

"She then went on to say that they were too thin, and such delicate china would break easily. How much money must they waste each year on making thin teacups, when they could make thicker ones that last longer? Why waste so much time?"

Was she supposed to try and answer the question? All Ikki could think of was more questions to ask Asami about the tale. It was a nice story, she would admit, but it seemed a little pointless, at least in terms of telling her a life lesson (she assumed, anyway). Why not just tell her about her mother's travels? They seemed exciting!

Still, she had learned not to judge until the entire tale was over. That was how Korra empathized with Kuvira, how Asami had forgiven her father. Maybe she could take something from this. She just had to be patient, and wait a little longer.

"Iroh told her that she was right in what she was saying, that her points were valid and that she wasn't wrong in her concerns. However, he also said that there was a reason she was overlooking." Asami's green eyes reflected with the stars in the sky, and Ikki found that the light coming down was peaceful. Maybe Asami was feeling the same.

"What was the reason?" Ikki whispered, surprised at the air that came out of her lips. Had it gotten so cold so quickly?

"The teacups weren't too delicate. They broke because people didn't know how to handle them properly. To have thinner teacups meant that more people could  _have_ teacups in the first place, and those ones would never break because they knew how to look after them. So, yes. The teacups are fragile. But if given a thin teacups, you must learn how to handle it."

Asami smiled. "You must adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice teacup cannot be changed. But you are  _alive_. You can learn to adjust to the environment."

Ikki felt her eyes widen, and her vision went blurry as she looked at the stump on her right shoulder.

_Is this why my airbending hasn't been good? Because I'm still thinking of how to thicken teacups rather than learn how to handle them properly?_

She sniffed, feeling her cheeks get wet. Asami placed her hands on Ikki's shoulders, and gently, the two of them stood up underneath the stage of a sky that was the night. It was cold, the air chilled her skin, but the light that poured out from the beyond made the world look magnificent. Asami smiled tenderly at her, tucking Ikki's hair behind her ear as the wind caressed through the locks.

"I am  _so_ sorry about what's happened to you, Ikki." Asami sighed softly, "I can't turn back time. I can't do anything but invent something that may or may not help you in the future. Even then… it won't be perfect. I've been researching heavily into it. It may involve a three-year recovery period. It's the first of it's kind, for the most part, and I'm trying my best to rectify it, but… it's hard."

 _That's why she's so sleepy all the time. She's not stopped trying to help me._ Ikki's lip trembled. Asami choked up.

"So in the mean time, I want you to try and learn to use thin, delicate teacups properly. I will do whatever I can, but know that you  _can_ learn to adjust to this. It's not nice, it's not what you wanted, but you're a strong girl, Ikki. I  _know_ you can do it. You're not just the daughter of Tenzin, or the Granddaughter of the Avatar. You are  _Ikki._ And you  _can_ do this."

Ikki then found herself pulled into a tight embrace, Asami holding her tightly to her. Ikki felt her throat close up as she began to cry into her shoulder, and her hand gripped onto Asami's shirt.

After a while, the wails from the young airbender did desist, as did the clear skies. When Asami and Ikki broke away from their embrace with stuffy noses and red eyes, the rain began to pour down on them. Fits of giggles did they sing, as they ran away from the weather that threatened to soak them to the bone.

Ikki grinned up at the sky. She was pretty sure it was Yue playing a trick on her.

* * *

"There, it's better to be in something warmer, isn't it?"

"Much!" Now tucked back into bed, Ikki felt  _worlds_ better, and nodded happily. The discarded wet clothing had been taken care of by Asami, and she snuggled down into the blankets. She wasn't sure if she'd get any decent rest from the turbulence, but she felt content either way.

"How are you feeling? Do you need anything else?" Asami was surprised when Ikki began to laugh.

"You're always really nice, Asami. But don't you ever ask for anything?"

Asami furrowed her brows, before biting her lip and turning away from Ikki's gaze. "To be honest, Ikki, most of the things I have right now, I'm happy with now. I don't need to ask anything from anyone."

"Not even someone to love?"

Asami laughed loudly. "Ah, I'm not really looking for that right now, if you're referring to a partner. The last boyfriend I had was Mako, and I think you know how that went. ' _Asami, did you know Korra likes Mako?_ ' I'm sure you remember that quite well, correct?" She smirked.

Ikki flushed, scratching underneath her nose in embarrassment. "I thought I was helping Korra at the time. But that was  _ages_ ago! What about now?"

"I won't lie and say I haven't thought about it, but…" Asami rubbed the back of her neck, before sighing heavily. "There's nobody I think that could handle what I'm doing in my life right now. I'm busy all the time, and I wouldn't want to neglect them."

"What about Korra?"

Asami choked, before thumping on her chest to breath again. "E-Excuse me?"

Ikki tilted her head. "I said: what about Korra? Why not try with her?"

Asami began to flush, rubbing the back of her neck. "Y-Yes, I heard that. But me and Korra? You can't be suggesting that we… that  _I…_ you're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?"

Growing confused, Ikki sat up. "What's wrong with the idea? Is it weird to you because you're both girls?"

"What? No!" Asami exclaimed, running a hand through her hair. Her cheeks were still brightly flushed. "No, there's nothing wrong with the idea because we're both girls." She rummaged through her brain for ideas of how exactly to explain this to a child, sighing shakily as she did so. "Ikki, the thing is, I like girls and boys. I've known that for a while. But what you're suggesting... I mean, it's  _Korra,_ Ikki! You can't just bring up something like that and expect me not to freak out!"

Asami's questions were making Ikki's head hurt. She heard Asami ramble off on why she  _didn't,_ when it was obvious to Ikki that she  _did._ She wasn't blind (not to say blind people weren't awesome. Toph would kick anyone's butt if they said otherwise.), neither was she ignorant to how Asami and Korra interacted with each other.

"Asami."

"Yes?"

"I'm a kid, but I'm not stupid. I knew when Korra liked Mako before Jinora did!"

"Yes, I know that, but Korra isn't exactly the most subtle with her emotions. Well, she wasn't back then. She's calmed herself down a little since then." Asami sighed. "I never said you were stupid, though."

"Good, because I know what I'm talking about when it comes to this. Ever since my accident, all I did was watch people. It was all I thought I could do, since I couldn't airbend very well anymore. It was then I noticed something." Asami looked around at Ikki again, despite being flushed in the face, "I saw that you look at Korra the same way my Mom looks at my Dad. I know you don't just  _like_ her, Asami. Korra does it too, only it's like when my Dad watches my Mom. She looks at you with a smile when she thinks nobody can see her."

Asami went still, her eyes fixated on the floor.

Ikki smiled at her. "Maybe you can learn to use the thin teacups as well, and share how to do it with Korra."

"…Perhaps I can." Asami said, quietly, a small grin forming on her lips. "Good night, Ikki."

With that, Asami lifted her weight off the bed, blew out the small candle that burned dimly, and closed the door. Ikki smiled sleepily, before feeling the realm of sleep embrace her soul, and she surrendered to the quaint abyss of the world of dreams. Of colourful rainbows and clouds made of sweets, where she could play with Spirits and her Grandpa, sharing secrets of a time she would never know. In her sleep, she smiled, tugging the blanket up just that little more so her feet were visible.

* * *

"...Hello, Tenzin? Could you put Korra on the phone, please? No, nothing's wrong. I just need to tell her something. It's nothing major, it's," Asami glanced at the photograph of her mother, and smiled, "it's just about teacups."


	6. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinora ponders, Kai brings light to her foggy mind, and letters are written.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another very quick chapter! I was going to originally put this in the next chapter, but the scene grew long enough that I thought, "hey, this warrants it's own chapter." There are brief hints of the future plot in this chapter, especially in regards to Tenzin, so keep your eyes peeled for details! No Ikki in this chapter, I'm afraid, but there is Kainora galore, so I hope you all like that. ;) I didn't want to delay you guys for too long, so the next chapter will focus heavily on Ikki, Korra, Asami, and Kai. (Also, just to say-a few things other than Ikki's arm will be addressed in the next chapter. Like the fact that, in my headcanon, likes girls. :D) I hope you enjoy, and I'll be posting the next chapter in a few weeks or so!

Another exhale. Another shattered memory. Another grunt of frustration.

"Jinora, is everything alright?" One of the acolytes approached her with concern, evidently, but Jinora just waved them off with a dismissive hand. There was no need for her to reassure their petty concern.

"I'm fine. I just need to be somewhere else right now."

With little more said, Jinora suddenly stood up from the rest of the meditating members of the air nation, and walked off, leaving a midst of confusion in her wake. She paid them little mind as she wandered away from them, only focusing on her clenched fists and gritted teeth. Anger was something she seldom felt, but it seemed every word said to her caused more and more irritation to brew up in her gut.

It had been over a week since she had heard her sister's voice over the phone, since she had cried in the arms of her mother and  _begging_ any deity that could hear her that her sister would come home. Again and again, she received no answer except the wind blowing through her hair, taunting her with whispers she couldn't understand. Meditation did nothing except allow the memories to taint her vision, and she found herself using her airbending talents more for knocking things down than picking things up.

Time and time again, she had asked the question,  _why?_ Why had she not been the one to be injured to that extent? Why did Ikki have to be the victim, the soldier in a mental war she shouldn't have ever had to experience?

Jinora propelled herself away from Air Temple Island, drifting amongst the clouds until she reached the statue of her Grandfather. It was here she felt most at peace. It was here she could close her eyes and feel a connection she knew nobody else would be able to quite understand.

She sat, cross-legged, closing her eyes and feeling her native element embrace her. The weather had been growing colder, with frost encrusting the natural greenery around her, making every man-made stone slippery and difficult to walk upon.

"I don't understand, Grandpa." Jinora sighed, finding her meditative pose useless, and instead opted for dangling her legs right in front of the statues eyes. "You went through so many things when you were my age, maybe more. How did you manage to cope with all the bad things that happened to you?"

The tattoos on her skin seemed to tingle, and she smoothed over the one on her forehead with her hand. The blue arrows pointed in so many directions, so many paths she could soar down upon, but she stayed stagnant, and the only air she controlled was a wistful suspire. But aside from the euphoric metaphor, she received no answer that she could decipher with her intellect. Only a gentle breeze was the change in her environment, and even that could have been coincidental. A trick to try and confuse her even more.

Jinora balled her fist and groaned, before lightly punching her knee in frustration. "Was it too much to hope for a little guidance  _without_ meditating? I just want to know how to help my sister. Please, Grandpa!"

Nothing.

As she expected.

"It was worth a shot. Nothing else seems to be working." She muttered to herself, before she hung her head in utter shame.

"Well," a deeper voice coughed, making Jinora turn around in surprise, before she relaxed at who it was, "maybe expecting a  _statue_ of all things to give you answers isn't the best way of finding them."

"I come here for spiritual guidance. I'm well aware that stone will never be able to speak, no matter which person is bending it." Jinora shrugged, before smiling a little at the figure before her. "Hey there, Kai."

Kai took a seat beside her, clipping the folds from his airbender-suit back into place, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey yourself. Everyone's been looking for you back at the temple. Said you stormed out of the meditation session-the one with Otaku in-charge. Not that I blame you for that, but still."

Jinora chuckled softly at his comment, though her smile faded soon after. Kai often had a penchant for making her feel better, but it had little effect on her then. He seemed to notice this as he brought her closer to him, kissing the crown of her head.

"Is everything okay?" He whispered, his breath tickling her hair. Kai's closeness meant well, it was supposed to soothe her issues and ease her troubles and Jinora knew that, but the proximity was choking her up. She hastily pulled away from him, before folding her arms across her chest and curling up into a tight ball. Kai's hands were hovering from where she'd pulled away, and he settled for putting a hand on her shoulder again. "Jinora?"

"I-I'm sorry, I know you're only worried about me, but it's . . ." Internally, she cursed her anxious stammer, as she bit her lip and turned her head downwards.

Kai looked at her with earnest worry in his eyes, which only made Jinora's heart ache even more. However, his arm didn't leave her shoulders. "Korra mentioned you spoke to Ikki not long ago. Is it something to do with that?"

Her flinching at the mention of her sister's name must have been a dead giveaway, though she glanced back up at Kai with a false grin playing on her lips. "Why,  _Kai._ I didn't know you could read minds!"

The former-thief smirked back at her, raising an eyebrow. "I'd be a pretty terrible boyfriend if I couldn't at least try to  _guess_ what you were feeling." The laughter from her lips was pained, like she was speaking with a throat made of broken glass, and she was soothed when Kai took her hand gently. "Jinora, all bad jokes aside . . . do you need to talk? I'm not like Asami when it comes to this stuff, but . . . I can try, can't I?"

With his offer ending in still whispers, Jinora said nothing for a few moments. She wasn't too sure if she was contemplating or merely delaying his offer, though she turned her gaze toward the horizon. Winter was coming in small strokes, painting the skies with wispy grey clouds and coating the entire landscape in white. It made the gold from the Spirit Portal give the snow a sheen not even firebenders could have ever hoped to conjure up with fervor alone.

She had read about the Sun Warriors, though. Where her Grandpa and former Fire Lord Zuko had trained in the art of  _traditional_ bending, and not the perverse kind that the Fire Nation had developed it to be. When all the answers were easier.

Smoothing the stone from underneath her, Jinora suddenly felt her throat grow dry once again, as she made a strangled-cough sound erupt from her throat. She covered her mouth, biting her lip so hard it  _bled,_ and tears welled up in her eyes, ripping out from the surface and burning blazing trails into her cheeks.

"Jinora? Hey, hey, it's okay, ssh . . ." Kai held her tightly as she sobbed, horrid, coarse, wretched noises pouring from her throat as seamlessly as the tears did. Her hands gripped his suit tightly, as she sniffed and snivelled. He did his best to comfort her, Spirits bless him, but nothing eased the pain pulsating in her gut.

"I-It's all my  _fault,_ Kai." She choked out, her chin trembling as she felt his arms tighten around her.

"Mm?" He hummed, cradling her close.

"I-Ikki was so hurt, she was in so much pain, and it was  _me_ that was crying when she rang me up. Not her,  _me_." She went to pull away from him, from his warmth, but that only spurred him onto keep her that much closer. She was grateful that  _someone_ would save her from her hero-complex.

Kai then began to rock her back and forth, which Jinora had discovered (long ago, however), was his way of seeking answers for emotional problems. Well, at least, when it came to her issues.

"Last I checked, it wasn't a crime to feel guilty about what happened to her. You're allowed to be upset, Jinora."

It wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.

She pulled away from Kai with a sudden sharp tug, ripping her arms away from his hold over her and staggering back a few paces. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and if looks could kill, the entire city would have been coated in red in mere moments. Kai had never been more scared of Jinora in his life.

"This isn't  _self entitlement,_ Kai! My baby sister has lost an  _arm_ because of me! Because I couldn't stay awake for ten damn  _minutes!_ " Kai was left stunned, hand reaching out to her. She refused it, slapping it away.

"Hey, listen to me." Kai stood up along with her. "You know it wasn't your fault." He tried to reason with her, his voice in a calmer tone than usual, before he tried approaching her with slow steps. "You couldn't have prevented what happened to Ikki, Jinora. Nobody could have. It  _wasn't_  your fault." He froze when she began to laugh.

Bitter, prickly laughter howled from her lips, even with the tears that were spilling. Jinora's ears rang too much with the ghosts of her failures to even sense if she was laughing at Kai, or herself, or if the laughter was to veil what she took for ugly cries of desperation. Her chest heaved, her throat closed up, and she found herself on her knees.

"You don't even understand, do you? What it's like to have  _blood_ on your hands." Kai flinched visibly as Jinora looked at him in the eye. It wasn't a look he liked, and she knew it. Her face must have been so  _ugly_ to him. "My baby sister almost  _died._ Let that sink in, Kai. My sister, my  _baby_  sister, almost  _died._ To save me. Little Ikki was almost murdered in cold blood to save a sister not even worthy of these damn arrows."

This time, Kai was silent. Jinora studied her face, as she had studied lore of books in the past. Etchings of horror imprinted on his face in ways word could not describe. She could see the events play out in his head like a mover on screen, and in a twisted way, she was happy it was having that effect.  _Let him feel the pain I feel. Maybe then he can understand that words won't help me feel better._

"Right. Because I don't understand what it's like to have everything I love ripped away from me." Kai's sullen voice hit her hard. He wouldn't even look her in the eye.

Jinora bit her lip. "Kai, I didn't mean-"

"Of course you didn't." She didn't like this tone. She'd hurt him.

 _Spirits, no. Why did I say that? I didn't want to . . . I didn't mean it. Kai, I'm sorry._ "Kai, I wasn't saying that-"

"I'm an orphan for a reason, Jinora." Another cruel reminder. "Or did you forget that when you were wallowing in your own self-pity?"

"Self-pity?" Jinora choked out, her heart weighing more as the seconds ticked by. "I-I'm not trying to pity myself!"

Kai shrugged, not answering her again. Only the silence of his absence of warmth greeted her, and it was making her head feel dizzy. Her stomach felt like it was brewing up something horrific, trying to claw its way up to her heart and rip it out.

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? Kai, I  _am._ I'm so  _sorry._ " She ran her hand through her hair, shaking. She didn't see Kai's gaze return to her in her panic, as she scraped together any few words that could form a coherent sentence in her manic mind. Everything hurt. Everything was hurting so  _much._ Her heart, her head, nothing would make sense, and she hurt someone who was only trying to help her. What was happening to her? Why was she  _doing_ all of this, especially to people she cared about-especially to  _Kai,_ of all people? "I didn't mean-I wasn't  _trying_ to. . . I-I'm so  _sorry._. .." 

"Jinora."

His voice snapped her back to reality, as she felt two hands on her shoulders, before being pulled into another hug. This time she didn't pull away from him. Instead, she gripped onto him tightly, shaking and quivering and muttering out any semblance to an apology that she could.

"I'm sorry . . .."

"Ssh." Hushed sounds followed suit, though Jinora did hiccup a few times. "Thanks for saying sorry."

"N-no problem." She garbled, burying her head in his shoulder and closing her eyes. The scent of sandalwood that always lingered around him was comforting to her, she'd just realised. Maybe it was all the time he spent in forests, but it's presence always kept her alert, grounded.

"It made you feel better though, didn't it? Making someone feel like you did." She found herself nodding to his words, hesitantly, but agreeing nonetheless. "I get it, alright? I get it. I've understood it longer than you. I wish you didn't  _have_ to, Jinora, but damn I do understand. So believe me when I say I can help, alright?"

With his words followed raptured wails, her knees ceased to work, and Jinora  _broke._ Not shattered, but all walls were torn down by an airbender's words, simplistic they may have been. She sniffed, snivelled, and embarked on an array of what she would later dub "the most embarrassing moment in my life", but in the moment, she had no energy left to care. All caution was thrown to the wind as she allowed all emotions to fly in the air, and Kai held her steadfast through it all.

"I don't know what to  _do,_ Kai."

She gently prised herself away from him, and glanced down at her hands. Kai didn't push her to speak, instead opting to cover her trembling hand with his own.  _It's so warm._

She drew a deep breath. "When Mom told me Ikki had gone to stay with Asami, I felt . . . betrayed, in a way." She closed her eyes tightly, squeezing any excess water away. "It's hard to put into words. You know she blasted me against the wall after we fought, right?"

Kai nodded. "Yeah. Korra told me after Ikki left."

Jinora flushed. "I didn't even think she'd hurt me. It's my sister, y'know? You don't think they'll ever hurt you. I ended up thinking that if I spoke to her, if I just said sorry enough times, we could make her all better again. Shows what I know, doesn't it? Ikki's been hurting so much. I didn't even . . . all I wanted was my sister back. It didn't even occur to me that she'd tried that hard." She clasped her hands together. "I didn't even know she was that strong."

Kai bit his lip, looking left. "Maybe," he began with a slight tremor in his voice, "you all pushed so hard for her to recover, to get her back exactly the way she was before, you all forgot who you were trying to help in the first place?"

Jinora raised an eyebrow, and it took her a few moments to answer him. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It does, actually." Kai chuckled, leaning back on his hands and looking at the sky. "At least, if she's feeling the way I think she's feeling. When I was taken in by that family-the one I stole from, I won't deny they weren't nice. But they were focusing on making me into the "before and after" stage. "Look at the poor orphaned boy we adopted! Let's make him into an upstanding member of society, let's  _fix_ him." They had good intentions, they were nice people, but I felt like I was some kind of pet project to them. That's why I ran."

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't lose an arm, but I understand what it's like for people to constantly remind you that you're broken. Even if they don't mean to."

_(_ _"This is some kind of joke, right? It takes me hurting Jinora by accident for you to come and see me?" Ikki's voice sounds so pained. Jinora can't focus on anything else but that. "I guess only master airbenders are worth your time then, Daddy? Not broken ones like_ _**me!"** _

_The next thing Jinora remember's is Ikki fleeing the room, the sound of her father crying out for his daughter to return to here at once, and then, darkness spreads around her vision. She wants to rise, but something weights down on her body. Phantoms push down on her limbs, and she feels trapped, only reassured that she isn't passed by the fact she can feel the warmth of her father carrying her. It's not the warmth she wishes to be nearby, however._

_Her baby sister. She wants her baby sister._

_**Ikki . . .** _ _)_

"She's  _not_ broken."

Kai stared at her with a surprised look, as Jinora stood up to faze the sky of fire before her. She clenched her fist, and greeted the sun with her absolution.

Even she was surprised by the slight laugh that greeted the air in front of her. "I suppose it's time I stopped babying her. Spirits, I've been such an idiot."

Kai shook his head, rising next to her. "Don't put too much blame on yourself. It'll only make you feel worse."

Jinora nodded. "I know." Her resolve faltered for a moment. "I know she spoke to me, and I don't want to pressure her, but I just want to let her know how I feel." She cupped her chin for a moment, before clicking her fingers. "A letter? That might work!"

"It would be a start." She grinned when Kai agreed, even more so when he poked her cheek. "A good start."

The wind had started to pick up a little, rustling through her clothes and her hair. Even airbenders couldn't tame all of their native element, it seemed. Jinora liked it that way. There were some things better left untouched by people, unspoiled by their wavering emotions.

_Perhaps I should look into Air Nomadic poetry. I'm starting to think in prose._

"But how would I get it to her? She's over in Ba Sing Sei at the moment."

Kai's eyes widened. "Really? Why's she over there?"

Jinora shrugged. "Dad didn't tell me much. Just that Asami had some business dealings over there and Ikki wanted to go. Asami probably said more to him, but Dad hasn't really been . . . he's not been all there since Ikki left."

"He has been out of it." Kai folded his arms, squinting as the light flared in his face. "Tenzin didn't visit Ikki much, when she was staying there. Is he alright?"

Sighing, Jinora shook her head. "No. I can't read his mind, but it's not hard to tell. He didn't see her much when she was there, and he hasn't gone to visit since. Uncle Bumi apparently scolded him after Ikki left, about how he being more of an airbending master than a father when it came to helping her."

Kai snorted a little. "So  _Bumi_ was the one who lectured your dad on responsibility? That's a weird image."

Jinora chuckled. "Yeah. It  _is_ weird." Jinora leaned her head against his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Maybe I could get a messenger bird to take the letter over to Ikki? Do they even let birds into official meetings?"

Kai bit his lip, before patting Jinora on the shoulder. "Want me to take it to her?"

Jinora's eyes widened. "I can't ask that of you."

"You're not. I'm offering."

She waved her hands whilst raising a brow, baffled. "Let me get this straight. You'd fly halfway across the continent to deliver a letter for my sister. That I could easily get a bird to do for me. Or put it on a train, or. . . or whatever."

"Yup." He let the pop on the 'p' linger, before smirking.

"You don't have to." She insisted, a waver in her voice.

Kai shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck, the smirk still lingering. "I care about Ikki too, y'know. It'd be helping me as much as you." He glanced up at the sky, smiling sheepishly. "Plus, it'd make you happier."

Jinora stared at Kai, wide-eyed and in utter amazement at his fofer, before she glanced down at her hands with a softened smile, and allowed few tears to slip slowly down her cheeks and drift in the winds that pass her by. Kai returned the gentle grin, wiping her eyes with a tender caress. Out of everyone who could have found her, it was him. Maybe there were such a thing as ribbons tying fated souls together, or maybe her own soul had searched for him. Either way, there was nowhere else she'd rather be than there.

_Ikki, when you want to see me again, I'll let you tease me about being all 'sappily romantic' as much as you want._

"But!" She suddenly poked him on the shoulder, making him stagger back a little in shock, "that doesn't mean you can shirk your duties as an airbender whilst you're away! You see someone who needs some help, you better help them, mister! And  _no_ aggression!"

Kai laughed. "Scolding me already, are you?" Jinora grinned back at him. "There's the airbending master I know and love!"

Jinora blinked, before flushing. "Hem.  _Love?"_

Kai blushed along with her, before turning his head away from Jinora's line of sight. "It's a figure of speech."

"I'm well aware of that." She then spotted the expanse of pink on his cheeks, and smirked. "Why,  _Kai._ Are you  _blushing?"_

He sputtered in surprise, still turned away from her. "Keh, 'course not!"

"You're not fooling anyone, big guy."

Kai groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're impossible." Still, it took him only moments to recover, and he regarded her with a kind gaze. One she'd grown to adore over the year they'd been going out.

He held out a hand for her.

"C'mon, it's getting cold. Coming?"

She took it with grace.

"Always."

_Ikki, don't worry about a thing. I know you're not broken. You've never been shattered into a million piece. Sure, you've been hurt and damaged, but I won't let anyone say you can't pull yourself back together. You're strong enough to save my sorry butt, right? I know you can do amazing things. Never let anyone else tell you otherwise._

* * *

> **_Dear Ikki,_**
> 
> _Did that sound too formal? Kai told me it sounds too formal, but you know me. I could just start this off by saying, "hi, baby sister! What 'ya been up to?" But that would sound . . . out of character for me. At least, I reckon it to be so. You're probably rolling your eyes right now, thinking "Jinora is so full of herself. Just because of this and that, she thinks she can read minds and be our future leader and stuff." Am I on the right lines?_
> 
> _Spirits, it's been a long time since I wrote a letter. Not since when Korra was away, but, well . . . we all know how that went. Dad told me you're in Ba Sing Sei, now? I hope you see every part of that city. It's been in chaos since everything that happened, but the city is still beautiful. You always wanted to go there and explore (at least, that's what Meelo told me), and I hope you have the time to do that. I hope you have the time to enjoy yourself._
> 
> _You spoke to me on the phone not so long ago, but I thought writing a letter would be easier for you to understand what I was saying. I was a mess when you spoke to me. All tears and snotty noses, I felt like Rohan. Or Uncle Bumi watching a romantic mover (ssh! Don't tell him I told you that!), but I just want to say how proud I am to be your big sister. I know after our fight, I said some things I shouldn't have, and you did things I know you regret. I won't lie and say the bump on my head doesn't still ache, but that's passed. I would really love it if we could speak on the phone again, but that's your choice._
> 
> _I'm actually writing this on top of Grandpa Aang's statue. That's where I always go. I hope one day you can come up here with me. Maybe I can bore you to tears with the history of the stone it was built with. Actually, did you know it was built by some kids that Grandpa once knew? Apparently he held some dance party when he was younger to a bunch of fire nation school children and they built it. The party after the completion had Gran-Gran's toes tapping for weeks, Dad said. Maybe we can try and get Meelo to do that, one day._
> 
> _One day, anyway. You just focus on getting better._
> 
> _Asami told me how brave you're being. How well you're coping now that you're away from everything else. I'm sad that you're not here, but still, you're doing so well, how can I not be happy with that? You're going through everyday a little stronger than the last, and I had the gal to think you weren't trying hard enough. Whatever happens, I just want to say, I am so, so proud of you. I'm sorry I didn't show it earlier, but I'm jealous that I don't have your bravery sometimes. Whatever happens, Ikki, don't give up, don't ever give in to people trying to bring you down. We airbenders are a resilient lot, and you're a prime example of that._
> 
> _If anyone tells you can't do something just because you lost your arm? Blast them into a bookcase. It clears the head a little._
> 
> **_Sincerely,_ **
> 
> **_Jinora._ **
> 
> _p.s: I love you._


	7. Ebbing Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People cry, Ikki learns, and future plans are lain out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck. This. Chapter. Please enjoy this, guys. It's been a fucking nightmare to write. *Cries*

"Well," Asami wiped her forehead with her wrist and exhaled a heavy sigh, smearing oil over her forehead, "these repairs ought to hold until we reach Ba Sing Sei's docking bay. At least, so long as the propellers are well-oiled for the rest of the journey there. There should be some spare reserves down in hangar-bay three, near entrance two. I regret I couldn't do more to assist, but with little tools brought on the trip, this was the best I could do."

She abseiled down the engines by harness and unstrapped herself, as one of the engineers approached her with an apologetic look in their eyes. "Miss Sato, I appreciate what you did for us lot down here, but 'ya shouldn't be getting all grubby with us grease monkeys. My lot can handle it."

Asami laughed and shook her head. "Bon, I respect your abilities. But know that I'm a worker as much as you are. If I didn't get down here and learn how to maintain a damn engine, what good am I as head of an industrial company? I won't be like my father and leave all the hard work to the people many consider 'below my station. Besides," she grinned, "you're all fun to play cards with. I  _will_ be winning my coin back soon, you know."

"You're a rare soul, Miss Sato."

"More rare than you all actually calling me  _Asami._  Please, Miss Sato is a shadow of who I  _am,_ Bon. I'm just Asami to you all, okay? That's an order."

"Speaking of shadows, Miss Asami, it seems like you've got one tailing 'ya."

Asami's brow rose in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Bon simply pointed up, a quirked grin playing on his wrinkled lips. Asami's gaze met with her aptly named "shadow", and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Sitting high up in the rafters, perched on the metallic structure of the airship, was a rather timid-looking airbender. Half of her body was hidden as she tried to conceal herself, though to no avail. "Ikki?" Asami called out to her, her heart clenched in worry, "Ikki, what are you doing all the way up there? Come on, down you come!" She rubbed her temples and sighed. "Why must kids always make you worry so. . . ? Now I know the trials my poor mother faced when I was a child."

Her gaze never left Ikki's form as she sauntered down slowly, her arm holding the steel framework as she lowered herself down with the gentle friction of air underneath her feet. When she was down, Ikki then walked slowly up to Asami, her fingers slightly trembling as she looked away from her worried expression.

Asami lowered herself down to her knees, sighing a little once again. She could tell Ikki was scared that she would get mad at her by the incessant shaking of her knees and fingers.. "Ikki, you know it's dangerous down here. What were you doing up there?"

Ikki shrugged, her lips pursed.

"You won't tell me why?"

The young airbender dug her foot into the ground and swayed her body from side-to-side, and shook her head.

Asami folded her arms and closed her eyes, humming to herself as she thought of an alternative way to handle the situation at hand. "That's a shame. I suppose I'll just have to lock the air vents from now on. If you  _told_ me why you were watching us, maybe I could let you watch up-close here. But if you're not going to tell me, then I suppose. . .."

"No, wait!"

Asami smiled. "Yes, Ikki?"

Ikki gulped and turned her head downcast, and Asami saw the flush spring up in her cheeks as she stumbled over her words. "I, uh. . . just promise me you won't laugh at me. Please."

Asami's face softened. "Ikki, I would never laugh  _at_ you. I promise."

"Swear on all your inventions?"

"On  _all_ my inventions  _and_ on my heart."

Bon had since left the two to their moment to work on more repairs to the airship, and Ikki gulped again, her ears ringing as she gulped down another mouthful of air. Asami watched the display with interest, though did not interrupt as Ikki found the courage to speak. "I just wanted to see how you do all of this. All the fixing. It's nice to see things. Being fixed."

Ikki continued. "We didn't get much of this stuff over at the temple, and I don't know. . . it's nice to see something new. Korra always goes on about how cool your engineering and stuff is, and I just wanted to have a look at it. I-I mean," she stuttered as she covered her face with her hand, "i-if you're going to make that arm for me, I should. . . I should know about  _some_  of this stuff, right? A-And, well. I-I don't know? It seemed cool." She shrunk back into her shoulders and rubbed the back of her neck.

Asami was taken aback by this, and cocked her head in a sidewards tilt. "You want to learn about engineering?"

Ikki shrugged. "Maybe? I don't know."

"You've never expressed an interest before. I'm not saying you, can't mind you, but why now?"

"I. . ." Her voice betrayed her by trailing off, and Ikki ran her hand through her messy hair. Asami noticed just how  _long_ it was getting.

She placed a hand to her shoulder. "Yes?" Asami urged on with a small smile.

"Making things is cool. And you're making something to help me, which is cool. I just want to learn about it more."

Asami moved her hand to stroke her hand as she thought idly. "Well. . .." She snapped her fingers, "wait! There  _is_ something I've been working on for you, just for the meanwhile. I could explain the basics of that?"

Ikki's eyes lit up. "R-Really? You would?"

Asami clasped her hand tightly, grinning. "Yes! Anything you want to know, I'll tell you. But it will have to be later on in the week, if that's okay?"

The hope in Ikki's face faded momentarily. "Oh. A-Are you too busy or something?"

Asami's eyes widened. "What? No, not at all. Well, not  _entirely._ We're going to be stopping by a Water Tribal alienage in Ba Sing Sei first, remember? I mentioned it just before you went to bed yesterday. They've got refugees that were in Kuvi-" She stopped when Ikki tensed, ". . . I mean, they've got people that need my help. I need to meet with them to discuss housing, and I'll be helping out with the planning and organizing the construction."

"Oh. I see. What's. . . an alienage?"

"It's," Asami wracked her brain for a chance to try and explain in basic terms, "it's a place within a city where a foreign culture sets up their own. . . community and practice their traditions. Not completely, mind you. There wouldn't be ice-carved houses there, but the clothing, food, and basic customs of the culture can be practiced there with people from that community. Sort of like Air Temple Island in Republic City. But the Water Tribe alienage is in poor shape. It's seen wreckage since. . .." Asami had caught wind of the re-education camps. The purging. Ikki didn't need to know about all that  _yet._ Not whilst she was recovering. "There are many healers there, and they need a clinic to set up for all the wounded. And I'll be providing that, provided they accept my help. The Water tribe needs it more than Raiko needs more weapons, anyhow."

However, Ikki had become lost in thought. "Water tribe. . .." She whispered, before she glanced back up at the steel framework of the airship. Peering at the dancing flames of the torches sealing the metal, welding it into shape. Asami followed the trail of her gaze, and smiled.

"I think it would be good for you to visit."

Ikki's face scrunched up. "Why?"

"Because you  _are_ a descendant from the Water Tribes, aren't you? You're not just of Air Nation heritage, Ikki. And the interest you share in making things is something your Uncle Sokka always loved doing. At least, from what I've read."

Ikki mulled it over for a few moments, before nodding. "That sounds. . . like it would be fun. I'd like to go." She then asked, "wait. You've read about my Uncle Sokka?"

Asami felt the heat creep onto her cheeks. "Well." She cleared her throat. "He was a big inspiration for me when I was a little kid. A non-bending scientist who was a friend of the Avatar?  _And_ could make things to help people?  _And_ was a good fighter? My dad pretty much revered him for his talents. I guess you could say that I picked up on that after a while."

Asami felt Ikki's eyes piece into her, and she began to sweat a little under the girl's gaze. Then, an impish smirk quirked her lips, and she narrowed her eyes. "You're like  _Bolin_ when he met Toph! Opal told me he went crazy! You go crazy when someone talks about him too, don't you? Aha, Asami is a fangirl! You're a  _fangirl_!"

Huffing, Asami folded her arms. "I am  _not_ like Bolin. And I am  _not_ a fangirl. Honestly, where did you even learn that term, young lady?"

Ikki sniggered to herself, covering her mouth as Asami continued to grow more and more flustered. Protests against Ikki's notion were useless as soon as Bon came back up to the two, a keen smirk on his face.

Asami met his eyes.  _Don't you dare._

"Oh, Miss Ikki, you're along the right lines there."

_Add more fuel to the fire and you can pack your bags._

"Why, you should have seen her when she first met the Fire Ferrets! She was prancing around the factory singing at the top of her lungs." He clicked his tongue against his teeth as he laughed. "Not to mention when she was a 'wee little thing, when Mr. Sokka made his speech about the importance of science being taught as  _well_ as bending, she was grinning like a Cheshire ferret-cat!"

"Bon."

"Yes, Miss Sato?"

"You're fired."

Bon only laughed as he went about his way, and Asami's face was the one on fire.

* * *

"Okay, so apparently spiritual vine powers don't work when I'm trying to find someone I actually  _do_ like and doesn't ask me out after saving their life."

Korra's chest heaved, and she leant against the rubble of a now-deserted building. Ba Sing Sei wasn't as hard-hit as Republic City, but when Korra had heard about the purging of the state with people of non-Earth Kingdom origin, she had made it her personal duty to the people to scour the area and help people still held down by the loyalists to Kuvira's regime. If Ba Sing Sei fell to chaos, then the rest of the Earth Kingdom may as well follow. She'd learned that the hard way.

The Avatar folded up her glider and sat down on top the rubble, contemplating ways to explore the city. She'd heard word from Tenzin that Asami was going to be there in a few days, to help out with the local refugee housing until construction for more permanent residence could be underway. Raiko had apparently been pestering her to construct new weapons for the United Forces, but as expected, Asami had refused to aid more of a war effort. She was already contributing defences for them.

Plus. . .  _Ikki_.

Korra sighed softly, glancing at the photograph Asami had given her of Ikki. She was smiling, but her eyes were so  _dim._

She couldn't deny that Ikki had looked a lot healthier since the move. The stress of trying to live up to everyone's expectations of getting better had been lifted from her burden. Asami was good at not making people feel pressured. Korra knew this was the best place for Ikki to be right then and there.

Even so. . . she worried.

Not only for Asami-after all, her last remaining family member had just passed away, and she was taking on so much damn  _work_ that she and Asami had fought over it a few times-but also. . . what would Ikki do when she had to move back? Retreat back into her shell? Korra had almost succumbed to that temptation herself. Trying to pretend that her injury was the only thing holding her back.

It wasn't a pleasant memory. And Ikki was just a kid.

She didn't deserve to go through all this.

"Thinking about how to balance the world, Miss Avatar?"

Korra's contemplation faded as soon as that teasing voice beckoned her to turn around, and she was met with a cheeky grin. Korra chuckled a little and swiveled around. "Hello, Kai. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Hello yourself, Korra." He retorted, "and 'pleasure' of my company? I should be saying that to  _you,_ Miss Avatar!"

With a few more chuckles passed around between them, the two then settled into a brief hug, before Kai pulled back and uncreased an envelope. Korra peered at it, curious, but chose not to comment on it just yet.

"So," Korra began, as Kai took a seat beside her, "I thought Tenzin had all the airbenders helping out with Republic City. What're you doing in Ba Sing Sei?"

"Personal matter." Kai responded, clipping the wings of his suit back into their place, "Jinora wrote a letter to Ikki. I'm delivering it to her. Jinora would have done it herself, but Ikki's not ready to see her yet. Honestly though, Jinora's scared to take it to her. Thinks Ikki will be mad at her."

_("Ikki doesn't want to blame Jinora, but. . . Jinora is a trigger for Ikki right now. She keeps remembering that day, how she lost her arm, and she's subconsciously blaming Jinora for it. She doesn't_ _**want** _ _to, but it's how she feels. I think some distance may be good for them. For a while, anyway."_

" _I know what you mean, Asami. After I was poisoned. . . I thought I was ruined. I blamed myself, even though everyone told me it wasn't my fault. Then I thought it was other people's fault. In the end. . . I kept scapegoating until I had a reason not to be the Avatar anymore. It's not that Ikki's anger at Jinora. It's just her way of keeping herself together."_

" _I wish she didn't have to try.")_

"Have you spoken to Ikki since?"

Kai nodded. "Once or twice. She didn't look so good the last time I saw her, though. I've heard she's getting better with Asami, but still, I'm worried about her. Poor scamp."

Korra folded her arms. "Scamp?"

Realisation hit Kai, and he chuckled. "Oh, right. Yeah, I call her scamp, she calls me crash. It's a long story that involves pranking Tenzin, Lefty, and a whole lot of Narook's noodles covered in red paint."

"You're going to tell me later though, right?"

"Of course!" He gave her a thumbs up, "you can count on it."

The grins faded after a while, as silence veiled the underlying discomfort. Korra hadn't seen much of Ikki since she had gone to live with Asami, other than brief visits. Apparently she was improving, but she didn't want Ikki to shut everyone out. Not like she did. The thought of the lively Ikki being so withdrawn broke her heart.

"Do you think Ikki will ever be able to get better, Korra?" Kai whispered, glancing to the skies.

"I hope so, Kai. But what she's going through . . . it's not just about her losing her arm. She's battling something in her own head. Something I  _wish_ she never had to go through." Korra rubbed her arm, "it's a battle that never really ends. You just learn to cope with it."

"I know how it feels, Korra. I've known for a while."

Korra's head snapped around to look at Kai, and her eyes softened when he greeted her with a sombre smile. "You. . .."

"Orphan, remember?"

Korra paused, before placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you don't mind me asking, how?"

Kai shrugged off her hand, kicking the dirt. "What does it matter? It was a long time ago."

"So was my poisoning," Korra pointed out, putting her hand back on his shoulder. "That doesn't mean it still can't hurt after all these years."

"It never stopped."

"Hm?"

"Hurting. It never stopped. I don't want that to happen to Ikki, or Jinora, or you, or  _any_ of you. I don't. . ." Kai rubbed hastily under his eyes, biting his lip so hard it drew blood.

He gasped when Korra put her arms around him and stroked his back. Korra had a guess that every muscle in his body was screaming at him to push her away and call her crazy, that boys  _weren't_ supposed to cry and break-down and be hugged and whimper away.

But he got the power of airbending. Was it so strange to cry? Korra didn't think so. (He later told her, albeit with hesitation, that he had been trying to live up to an idea of what a 'man' should be ever since he was little).

Kai hugged Korra back and buried his head in her shoulder. He still seemed to hold back a little, but she wasn't going to push. If she had learned anything from Asami (and she had learned a  _lot_ from that wonderful woman), is that it was important not to push people to feel a certain way.

After a few moments of steadying his breathing, Kai pulled away and wiped under his eyes, his dark skin flushed from embarrassment. "Uh," he muttered, "sorry about that."

"Don't  _ever_ apologize for that, Kai. There's no need." Korra assured him, ruffling his hair.

He pouted as she did so, but then smiled at her. "Giving orders now? You're not Kyoshi, last time I checked."

"In a  _way,_ I am."

Kai shrugged and folded out the letter. "Suppose. Anyway, I'd better be getting this to Ikki. Were you going to visit Asami? If so, then you should probably come along as well."

The Avatar, in all her might and glory, froze at the implication of that sentence. "What makes you think I'm only going to go visit Asami? I was going to see Ikki as well."

Kai looked at her for a few moments, before bursting out in chortles of laughter. He had to hold his stomach as he howled, before managing to calm down. "Y-You're not serious, right? Korra,  _everyone_ knows you've got a thing for her!"

"I. . . that's  _none_ of your business, you little-!"

"You're not denying it!"

"But I'm not  _confirming_ it either!" Korra found her cheeks prickling with heat.

Kai just flexed his shoulders and grinned. "Whatever you say, Miss Sato."

" _ **KAI!"**_

* * *

The alienage was not what Ikki had been expecting at all. She'd imagined a few buildings-tents, perhaps. Maybe with a banner or two with the Water Tribal crest painted in delicate curves. She'd expected people clinging onto a culture that was thousands of miles away from it's homeland. In short, she'd expected a refugee camp, or some sort of shelter-like the ones that opened for non-benders back when Amon attacked the city. (That had been courtesy of her father).

Instead?

It was  _beautiful._

 _Everything_ was constructed by waterbending. Frozen igloos gave refuge to the people of this community. Delicately carved, and since winter veiled Ba Sing Sei, it was the stronghold of the city. They weren't elegant structures like the airship or the ornate palaces in the South or North had been in history books, but Spirits above, they looked so much fun to explore!

And then. . . it dawned on her.

Amidst all the creativity was ruin. Rubble decorated the streets as much as ice.  _This won't last in the warmer months for very long,_ she thought,  _Korra's ice didn't even last long when she fought against Mako in that mock battle last year._

Ikki pulled her shawl more to cover her side. Her entire upper torso was cloaked in the thick woolen clothing, as she followed on in Asami's shadow.

"Ikki," Asami whispered, gently pulling her aside and kneeling down to her level, "I'll be over there talking with some of the people in charge. I'd take you with me, but. . .." She sighed, and ruffled her hair, "if you don't wander off outside the alienage, why don't you go explore? There are a lot of waterbending kids here. Maybe some of them met your Gran-Gran?"

"How long will you be?" She muttered, hiding the bottom half of her face in her shawl. Asami only smiled, leaning forward to kiss her forehead.

"Not long, sweetie. Just have a day of  _fun,_ okay?"

And as Asami gave a ruffle to her hair and walked off, Ikki was left with a flushed face.

_She. . . that's what my Mom calls me._

For a brief moment, Ikki's stomach churned as the memory of her mother's warmth seeped into her mind. But then she found that she was standing in a stalemate, and she shook her head and forced herself back into the real world.  _You're not Jinora,_ she scolded herself,  _you don't get to go to dreamworld all the time like she does._

Asami had asked that she have fun. So Ikki did that the best way she could: she observed.

It was a steady walk, as she didn't want to slip on any stray blasts of ice. The alienage wasn't terribly big, but there was definitely a growing community. It reminded her of the temple, in a way. Everyone had a set agenda, but they mixed so well with everyone there, it was a wonder they didn't slip seamlessly in and out of other's lives without anyone noticing.

Southwards, there was a small school set up on the outside. She hovered around on the outskirts, hiding behind a crumbling pillar. Ten or eleven children sat with crumpled books and frayed ink quills, as the teacher spoke of a history they would never experience. About how her Grandpa took down the Fire Lord, and the importance of not allowing those events to happen again. Her legs began to grow weak as they moved onto the next subject-kids calling out their own short stories. One girl, the girl with the red hair and pretty smile, spoke of spirits being warriors and humans being magical creatures. Odd story, but it still captured Ikki's interest enough. Or maybe it was just her pretty smile. Either way, she loved it.

After her story was finished, Ikki ventured on, tugging her shawl over her shoulders more. Her breath came out in cold wisps, and she shivered. Winter wasn't one of her favourite seasons.

" _Leg_ _ **up,**_ _Nagisa! Honestly. Waterbending is about_ _ **change.**_ _It's about learning to use water not as a weapon, but an extension of your own body. Stop being scared of it, child!"_

Ikki's ears perked as she heard that sentence carry on the wind and into her ears.  _Extension of your body?_ She slowly approached the wide-open area, hiding behind one of the tents.  _That lady. . . the Red Lotus lady used waterbending even when she had no arms._ Ikki bit her lip,  _would it have been easier if I was a waterbender?_

She peered behind the tent, to see a class of four students, all in a similar standing position. One arm raised, flat palm, right leg forward and crouched and the left leg straight with the heel up. The other arm coated in water, frozen.

She glanced down at her concealed stump.  _If only. . ._

" _Now!"_ The teacher-an older man, maybe a bit younger than her father, with greying black hair pulled back into a ponytail-strode around his young pupils with his hands clasped behind his back. " _You all know of Master Katara, how she improved on her Waterbending at the tender age of just fourteen years old, yes?"_ An echo of 'yes' followed suit, " _well, I'm here to tell you-you'll never be her. You'll never come close to being her. Why do you think that is?"_

" _Because she was a natural at it?"_ The girl from earlier-Nagisa? Was that her name?-hazarded a guess.

The teacher moved as fast as lightning as he stared her down, and the girl flinched. " _Wrong, child!"_ He bellowed. " _The real reason why she was a master at waterbending? It was because she had her own personal connection to water, to the element she wielded. And you must find your own. You cannot copy someone else entirely. You must respect the water as if it were an extension of yourself. It makes up a majority of this world. It is forever changing. If you do not learn to adapt to the water's temperament, then it will be little more than a way to quench your thirst and clean your face."_

His words were unlike anything Ikki had heard before. Her father, though she loved him, always said about how the Air Nation must preserve tradition and respect the ancient culture. Sure, he was lax when it came to their role in the world today, as a force for assisting the Avatar in maintaining balance, but in terms of  _bending_. . . ? He had only accepted Asami's glider-suits as a means to assist them whilst Korra was in remission.

But the way he spoke of change  _resonated_ with her. She peered in a little closer, unaware of the presence standing behind her.

"Excuse me?"

Ikki flinched and yelped, before falling over. Landing with a ' _thump!'_ on the ground, she stayed still for a few moments, before she felt a pair of arms lift her up. She shied away a little, dust covering her face.

"Are you alright? I didn't mean to scare. . . " Ikki glanced up, before her eyes widened in recognition. "Wait, don't I know you?"

A young girl, around Ikki's age, stood with a puzzled look on her face. Flowers adorned her wavy brown hair, and she wore simple Earth Kingdom garb. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and it clicked as soon as she saw the flower basket.

"Yes! I do know you!" Her face lit up, and Ikki felt heat creep up on the back of her neck. "You were travelling with that boy, Meelo. Aren't you Ikki?"

Shyly, Ikki nodded. "Y-Yeah. Meelo is my brother."

"I thought the two of you looked alike!" She rummaged around in her flower basket, before handing Ikki a white daisy, "here, since you didn't get one last time. Wouldn't be fair not to give you one, would it?"

Ikki's neck began to grow red as she took the flower and tucked it into the collar of her shawl. She was about to say thanks to the girl, when a sudden, "Tuyen! You made it!" interrupted her.

"Oh," her smile faded a little, "hello, Len. How are you?"

"Better now that you're here."

Ikki could almost scoff. She'd heard better pick-up lines from  _Korra._  That was saying something, considering her track-record with romance. She just hoped she was better with it when it came to Asami. She deserved someone nice to love.

Tuyen, on the other hand, had stepped away from the boy-Len, as she had dubbed him, whilst smiling with clenched teeth. "That's. . . sweet of you. Thank-you."

"Who's your friend?" He gestured with a flick of a hand, something Ikki scowled at.

"Her name is Ikki. She's an airbender that was looking for the Avatar not so long ago! She's really cool! She jumped down from a  _building!_ She's really good at airbending" Tuyen commented eagerly, the smile now more natural on her lips. Ikki couldn't help but flush at the praise.

Len, however, just folded his arms. "An airbender? What are you doing here?"

"I. . .." Ikki faltered, before clearing her throat, "I came here with Asami."

"Oh. The person giving the housing. I see." Was all he said, before he turned back to Tuyen, "listen, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to get back to my lesson. See you later, Tuyen?"

"Um, maybe?" She chuckled, "I'm only here for a bit. My dad's just here for the usual selling business. I'd love to watch the lesson, though, if that's alright! Ikki was watching it earlier, too."

"She was, was she? Huh." Len glanced back at her, "well, then you'd better tell 'Teach that the two of you are sticking around to watch. He's not often good when it comes to visitors. At least, with the lessons he gives to us. He says it distracts from the 'immersion', or whatever it is he says. He's good, though. Great, even."

"I am flattered by your praise, Len. However, do not make assumptions about me without hearing my opinion on the matter first."

Len fell back in surprise. "Uh, Teach! I-I didn't mean, I-I was just telling them to ask for permission first!"

"I am aware of that. Just as I am aware of the shadow that was lurking over our lesson. You were listening to my words more than you were watching the moves, were you not?"

Ikki's breath caught in her throat, and she began to sweat under his glaring expression. Still, she did not break away from his hold over her, and she nodded (albeit with meek quivers), and opened her mouth. "I. . .." She cleared her throat, "I liked what you were saying. It helped me feel better."

"Oh?" His greyed eyebrow rose, before he smirked. "Well then, Ikki. How about a demonstration? You are an airbender, are you not? The element of pure freedom. It would be good for my students to see an example of that. Not to mention young Tuyen here praised your skills in excessive detail. Something which young Len here has tried and failed to get."

"Teach!" Len protested, before huffing and looking away.

Ikki, however, felt herself become rooted to the ground. "I can't."

"Why ever not?" The teacher asked.

She glanced at her shoulder, then back to him. "I'm not good anymore."

"Ikki? You were really good when I last saw you!" Tuyen put her hand on Ikki's right shoulder, only for the airbender to flinch. "Ikki, what's the matter?"

"I just  _can't._ " Her voice grew tired and hoarse. "I'm not good, not anymore. I can still airbend, but I don't use it for fighting."

Len's teacher was quiet for a brief period of time. Ikki swore that the clouds had gathered to block out the sun in the time that there was no talking, until a faint chuckle came from his lips. Len looked positively horrified.

"He  _never_ laughs," he whispered to Tuyen.

"Who said  _anything_ about fighting, child?" He told Ikki, "I merely meant to demonstrate. If that's all you think your gift was for, then you clearly have little understanding about the lack of limits your bending powers have."

"You're not even an airbender. What do you know?" Ikki retorted with a bitter edge to her voice.

"Hm. How about the fact that I have an appreciation for  _all_ cultures enough so that I've studied them for years. I wouldn't be a teacher if I limited myself to one area of study." He stroked the tip of his beard, before folding his arms. Ikki gulped down her fear and looked back up at him. "But you're right. As one not of Air Nation origin, I must have the natural inability to understand the true essence of what it means to be an airbender."

"I-I didn't. . ." Ikki stammered, before biting her lip and looking away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be mean, I'm. . . just not good. Not anymore."

"Teach, maybe you should just drop it." Len said, sotto voce, "she obviously doesn't want to spar with you. Just let it go."

"I suppose you're right, though I didn't say 'spar' with me exactly." He agreed. "But even so, Len, she  _was_ the one who was watching the lesson with great intrigue, one I haven't seen for years. Something drew her there. Like a plant to the sun."

Tuyen took one of the flowers from her basket and held it out to Ikki, whom just stayed distant from the rest of them. "Ikki?"

She turned her head a little. "Mm?"

Tuyen smiled at her. "Master Kesuk is a really good waterbender. I think it would be good for you to learn something from him. You can have this flower if you do?" It was a small offering, but it had Ikki's cheeks alight.

"i-I can't. I'm sorry." Ikki's words were said in a hasty mess, before she scampered off away from the group. Her face was warm, and her nasal area began to sting as she ran away from the people that had offered her some sense of normalcy.

_If they knew the truth, if they'd seen what I'd not got anymore, they'd_ _**pity** _ _me! Think I couldn't do it as well as them all! I-I can't. . . I don't want them to look down on me like I can't do anything!_

* * *

"I thought I would find you out here."

Ikki's head snapped up in alarm, only to see Master Kesuk standing above her, arms behind his back. With that, she calmed a little, and shuffled so that her legs were splayed out in front of her, and she sighed.

After fleeing from the scene, Ikki had taken temporary refuge behind one of the few trees still standing in the district of the alienage. It wasn't grand like the ones back at Air Temple Island, nor teeming with spiritual energy like the ones in Asami's estate. But it was a  _tree,_ and it felt like home, so it was safe to her.

The skin of her cheeks had become red from the tears that had fallen, and she sniffed as Kesuk took a seat beside her. "I'm-"

"If you are going to apologize for fleeing when you felt uncomfortable, then put those words to rest. I do not blame you for it, nor should you harbour guilt." Ikki merely looked down, tugging her shawl to cover her more. Kesuk looked at her with a puzzled expression, but didn't comment on it. "I am curious to  _why_ you ran off, though. Is it something you wish to explain?"

She hesitated. "Do you. . . promise not to be mean if I say why?"

"It's not in my nature to be spiteful, despite what Len may have told you. He's just a slight exaggerater of events." Kesuk looked up at the tree above them. "Say as you wish, child."

Pausing, her hand went up to the edge of the shawl, before she pulled the material over her head. Kesuk's eyes widened a little as he saw the absence of her right limb. Ikki refused to look at him, her cheeks going red.

"I'm not good anymore."

His shocked expression softened, and the tenor of his voice became quieter. "I take it this was not something you were born with." He paused, then spoke again, "if you don't mind me asking, how. . . ?"

Ikki held her hand up to him. "Please," she pleaded, "I don't want to remember."

He nodded. "Alright, I won't press any more. However, may I tell you a story of my own?"

Her hand slowly went down and rested in her lap, and she peered up at Kesuk's face with uncertainty plaguing her mind. However, in his once-stern expression was now a look of compassion, and Ikki managed a stiff nod. "Sure." She murmured.

"Good to hear it." He said, "now, I won't lie to you child, the story is about me. When I was a lad, I wasn't the kindest of people. In fact, you could call me a bit of a bully."

"A-A bully?" She squeaked, "b-but. . .."

"I don't seem it now?" He laughed a little, "time changes people, child. But yes, I was a bully. I lived in a small farming village close to the Swamp. You know of that place?" Ikki nodded. "There weren't many waterbenders there, but my father moved there from the Southern Water tribe. Wanted to spread the culture, as it were. He met my mother, and they settled down."

"They sound. . . nice."

" _Nice_?" He exclaimed, "they were utterly  _pretentious._ Well, my mother not so much. My father, however, had the thought roaming around in his head that we were higher-up than the Swamp bender,s simply because where we were born. That they 'tainted' waterbending with their way. His influence, in turn, made me believe so too."

"That's mean." Ikki huffed. "Bending should be something people use to help people. Not so you can bully."

"You're exactly right. My attitude became my comeuppance later on." He told her. Ikki scrunched up her face.

"Com. . . comm. . . what does that word mean?"

"It basically means I got what I deserved in the end. And I'm thankful for it, to be quite truthful with you." He shifted his leg so he could rest his elbow on his knee, and leaned his head against the thick trunk. "One day, a young man came to the village. Unlike myself and many others, he wasn't a bender at all. He was quite the herbalist however, but he was paralysed from the waist down. It was a recent event, too. There were still bandages on his legs."

"Was he alone?"

"Mm-hm." He nodded.

"B-But he was-"

"Paralysed? We all thought he was pretty ridiculous too. Especially myself." He glanced down, closing his eyes. "I'm still not proud of the way I treated him. I called him so many names. Said he had no business pretending to be anything other than someone grasping for the life they once had. That he should go home and let more able-bodied people do the job he was pathetic at."

Ikki felt horrified. "That was  _horrible!"_ She stood up, "how could you be so mean? That's. . . it wasn't his fault he was like that! He was still trying!"

"Yes, he was." He didn't glance back up at her. "And I got my lesson taught to me when I said something wrong to those waterbenders in my village. I insulted one of the boy's younger brothers. I was met by people who didn't like me doing that. And I was attacked because of it. Brutally." He opened one eye to regard her. "Do you think I deserved it?"

"Of  _course_  you did! You said mean things to lots of people! They were just hurting you the way you hurt them! They had the right to!" Ikki clenched her fist.

"So if someone does something wrong, they should be badly hurt because of it?"

Ikki froze. "N-no, I didn't mean it like that."

"You just said "they had the right to", child. Did you not?"

Ikki ran a shaking hand through her hair. "N-No, I didn't. . . I mean,  _maybe_ they shouldn't have all hurt you, but you shouldn't have said all those things! People's words can hurt just as much as cuts and bruises!"

"Ikki." He put a hand on her shoulder, "do not exert yourself. Calm down. You are an airbender, so  _breathe._ "

And breathing is what she did. Deep inhales, elongated exhales, and after the count of twenty, her body felt back to normal. (For the most part, anyway). Her shoulder still shook minutely, but she gazed at him with her grey eyes, and sighed.

"M-Maybe they shouldn't have hurt you so much. That was wrong. It didn't make it any better." She concluded, sitting back down next to him and running a hand through her hair. "But it's really hard to not think you deserved it when you can see why they did it. It makes sense why they hurt you. It's not a nice thing, what they did, but it. . .."

"Perhaps I did deserve it. Do you want to know what happened to me next?" He offered Ikki the chance to hear the rest of his tale. Perhaps it was to make her feel better? Or teach her?

She managed a small nod. That seemed good enough for him. "He found me. The man I told you about? Well, he was more of a teenager than anything. Only a little bit older than me. But he ended up finding me."

"Did he laugh at you?"

"I wouldn't have blamed him if he did, right then." A small smile quirked his lips. "But he didn't. He  _scolded_ me for lying in the middle of the path, saying it would obstruct people's way. That I should have called out for help after they had gone. He then left me there."

Ikki was silent.

"Then, he came back. With my father. He carried me into his small clinic. And he healed me the best he could whilst giving me the  _longest_ lecture about being mindful of my words. It lasted for the rest of the day."

She couldn't help but giggle. "See?  _That's_ what you needed. Someone to tell you off and tell you what you did was wrong! Were you friends with him after that?"

Kusek couldn't help but smile. "Well. . . sort of. He hit me over the head with a stick as soon as I was well again. Told me if I ever insulted someone just because of where they were from, he would personally follow me around nagging me for the rest of his days, and even in the afterlife. He wasn't the most tactful with threats. But rest assured, I learned my lesson. He saved my life even when I insulted him. Even though he couldn't walk himself, he did everything he could to save a life, and he  _succeeded._ He never let his disability define him. And after a good knock to the head, we all began to see that he wasn't just a pair of non-working legs. He was a person, same as us. Just a little bit different. We should have seen it from the start."

Kusek turned back to Ikki once again. "He's someone I think you should take a lesson from."

_He never let his disability define him._

Is that what she had been doing? Allowing the fact that she had ended up losing her arm be an excuse to become who she was entirely? Ikki bit her lip. The wind began to pick up as she looked up to the leaves falling from the vines. The sunlight pierced through the cloudy walls and flooded the city with light, compelling Ikki to stand up.

Kusek didn't move as she took a step forward. Both of them just watched the sun.

"I lost my arm because I saved my sister." She was surprised at the sound of her own voice.

She couldn't see Kusek's face, but she didn't need to. All he did was hum.

"I-It was. . . w-when Kuvira attacked Republic. . ."

"You can do it, Ikki. Accept what happened to you. You can't keep pretending it didn't happen. You can tell your story, just as I told mine."

"R-Republic City. H-Her big robot shot out this. . . light beam, and it almost hit my sister. My Dad saved her, b-but they were knocked out. M-Meelo, my brother, went to help my Dad, and I went to help Jinora. I-I wanted to land on a rooftop when I c-caught her, but I made a mi. . . mistake."

_(Screams. She screams as she tumbles down toward the ground.)_

Ikki clenched her heart. It was going in a frenzy, her mind was rushing, her face felt so  _hot. . ._

"I-I ca. . ."

"Yes you  _can,_ child."

Gripping onto the tree, she managed to find her footing. Her hand never let go of the trunk, but she closed her eyes, and her body went straight.

"I-I ended up. . . landing on. . . we fell. There were people chasing after us. My wingsuit was torn, so I couldn't fly, and she was so  _heavy._ But there was something that made it easier. Made her lighter."

"That would be adrenaline, child."

"K-Korra's mentioned that before. A-anyway," she had to take a moment to steady her breathing.  _You can do this, Ikki. You can do this, me. I can do this._ "She sort of. . . slipped? Out of being awake and being all tired. Th-then we were found."

_("Surrender now, or we'll be forced to attack!"_

" _Please! She needs help! Just leave us alone, please!"_

" _I'm sorry, but we're ordered to detain any airbenders. Put your hands up and we won't harm you. Any sudden movements, and we'll be forced to detain you with force."_

" _We're only kids! Leave my sister_ _ **alone!"**_ _)_

"Th-they wouldn't leave us alone. S-So I just. . . blasted them with my airbending and just ran as fast as I could with Jinora. My feet hurt so much, I was so tired. . . I-I couldn't leave her alone. She kept saying to leave her, to get away, but I couldn't! She was my  _sister!"_

Her brief moment of anger ended with her fist going back into a flat palm, and her shoulders slouched.

"Then they shot a fire thing out at us. It hurt me on my shoulder. That's not how I lost it, though. The fire hit a loose building. It was all crumbly." Tears began to claw their way out of her eyes, ripping open an entrance and burning into her cheeks.

"She was beginning to get better. Wake up, I mean." Ikki began to quiver violently, as sweat beads appeared on her forehead. Why were the words so hard to say? She wasn't Rohan, she knew how to talk! Why did it make her head hurt so much? She didn't like it! "b-but the buildings began to fall. They were safe in their mecha suits, b-but Jinora. . . i-it. . ."

_("_ _**JINORA** _ _!")_

"I-it. . .."

_("Ikki? IKKI, NO!")_

"I-I  _can't. . .."_

"Your words are little more than the air around you. Ikki, you are able to bend that wonderful element to your will. Be  _one_ with it, and let it feel your pain. Then, it will soothe you in return."

The breeze began to pick up. Slowly, she saw more than just the leaves fall from the vines of the tall tree. Knotted stems untangled and flew on the wind, small petals of the last remaining autumn flowers trailed off into the sun in search of warmth.

_I can do this. Like he said, I am an airbender. My words are my air. And I will not let them swallow me whole._

"She was. . . stood still. She couldn't move. I could have used airbending to get her out the way of danger, but I. . . didn't think to. My mind went all fuzzy. So I-I. . . pushed her out the way. I ended up landing on my back and this big piece of Earth fell on me. I-It crushed my arm. Ruined it. I woke up later in a hospital bed. Daddy was there, so was Korra. Everyone just  _looked_ at me. I noticed what was wrong and I. . . screamed. They put me to sleep with this funny smelling stuff." She sighed. "That's all there is."

For a moment, there was little more than nature's strange magic at work with the world. Then, Ikki felt a warm hand on her right shoulder. Kusek was standing there, smiling at her, and she couldn't help but grin back. Her hair was messy from the wind, her cheeks blotchy from all the crying, but. . . her head wasn't heavy anymore.

"Do you feel lighter, now, airbender?"

Ikki smiled even wider. "I'm not just an airbender, you know."

He laughed warmly. "I'm aware of that."

The sun had began to set a little. "Mr. Kusek, how did that story of yours end? The one with the man who scolded you?" Her smile faded a little, "did you remain friends?"

It may have been the light, but Ikki could have sworn to any of her loved ones that Kusek  _blushed_ a little. "Remember how I said he'd follow me around for the rest of his days? Turns out that promise turned into  _vows."_

"You  _married_ him?!" Ikki blurted out, before giggling. "That's so  _awesome!"_

Kusek chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you're so open-minded to it, young one." When Ikki's look became puzzled at that statement, he shook his head and ruffled her hair. "Never you mind. But yes, I did. And it was the best decision I'd ever made in my life."

". . .Mr. Kusek?"

"Yes?"

"Can you teach me some waterbending moves now, please?"

Kusek smiled.

"Of course I can."

* * *

"Miss Sato? A visitor has come here and has requested to see you immediately."

Looking up from her papers, Asami gave a hefty sigh. "Can they not wait until tomorrow? Or in a few hours, perhaps? I've got a few documents to sort out here for the refugee housing, and then I need go and find Ikki. It's getting late and I don't want her out here all night. Could you please inform them I will have an audience with them tomorrow?"

Rin shook her head and smiled a little. "I don't think they wished to be kept waiting for too long, Miss Sato. I would implore you to go and see them now. They've travelled a long way and are eager to speak with you at this moment."

Asami pushed up the rim of her glasses with her fingertip, and placed the papers down on her makeshift desk. "Oh, alright. What is it that could be so important that. . .what. . .." She went utterly stative in shock as she was greeted with a familiar sidewards grin. " _Korra_?"

"Hello, 'sami. You sure you want to go back to work now? I  _just_ got here."

_The cheek of her!_

She was mid-way closing the door in Korra's face, when hasty apologies were frantic from the Avatar's mouth. Asami merely chuckled, opening the door again and wrapping her arms tightly around Korra's waist until she was flush against her. She could feel Korra's beating heart, rhythmic in existence, and all the stress of earlier  _melted_ into that embrace.

Korra was slow to return the affection, but dropped her glider down with a clattering noise, and held her just as close, just as tight, with her fingers tangled in Asami's dark hair. Murmurs of " _I missed you"_ were privately ushered out, just for them, and Asami found herself not wanting to let go of this wonderful woman. Letting go meant parting away from Korra again, something that. . . terrified her to her very core.

But she did. It was hesitant, as if prising two magnets away from one another, but it happened. She then noticed just how  _red_ Korra was, and it made her heart skip a beat.

"S-So, Asami. . ." She rubbed the back of her neck, in typical Korra fashion, "uh, how've you been? Good? Bad? In the middle?"

"Good, actually." Asami leaned against the wall.

"Only good?"

"Better than before, anyway. It's been a trying few months, but I'm getting there. Honestly, Korra, I'm alright." She turned to smile at her, only to raise a brow as Korra continued to stare at her face. "What's the matter?"

"Oh! Uh, nothing." She chuckled awkwardly. "It's, uh. You're wearing  _glasses?"_

"Hm?" Asami went cross-eyed as she looked downward. "Oh, right. I wear them to read, most of the time. Small documents and such. Why, do they look odd on me or something?" She twirled her hair around her fingers, looking down.

"What?" Korra gasped, " _no!_ Not at all. They look good. The glasses. Well, the glasses are nice, but they look good on you. You make them look good. They're. . . good glasses. Good."

_Why must she be so cute._

Asami simply poked Korra on the nose and laughed. "Thank-you for such an eloquent compliment, Avatar Korra."

"Uh, sure." She muttered, and then infamously, a pout came to her face. "You're welcome, I guess." Korra then cleared her throat, and glanced around.

Asami cocked her head to the side. "Something wrong?"

Korra shook her head. "No, I was just-"

"Are you two  _done_ flirting?"

Asami flinched. "Kai?"

He grinned cockily. "The one and only. Now, if you two ladies are done flirting, I need to find Ikki. Jinora sent a letter for her."

Asami's brow quirked upward. "And you flew here to personally deliver it? How  _sweet,_ Kai."

Kai merely smirked. "Unlike  _some_ people," he looked at Korra, "I don't dance around my feelings. Now, seriously, where is she?"

"Last I checked, she was looking around the training field for the waterbenders. At least that's what Rin told me. She wouldn't have wandered off too far." Asami rushed back into her office briefly, before carrying out a white envelope. "Need to give this to Ikki, too."

"What's that?" Kai asked, trying to peek at the envelope.

Asami chuckled. "Just something that may help Ikki out in the meantime whilst I'm designing her mechanical prosthetic. Hopefully it'll work, but. . . I may still need to run some tests and such. When I actually build it, that is. There's no guarantee that it'll work perfectly, but still, I want it too. . .."

Korra smiled at her, and placed a hand to her shoulder. "Whatever it is you've got there, Asami, I know it'll be great. You're good at that. Making things great again. Don't ever doubt that, alright? It'll be great. And even if it's not, Ikki will still love it."

Asami blushed and looked down. "A-Anyway, we should be going to find Ikki." Clearing her throat, she internally cursed herself for not wearing any concealer, "c-come on, we're wasting time!"

"Of course we are."

"Will the you two hurry up and just  _kiss_ already?"

"Kai."

"Yes, Korra?"

"You're making Raava  _very_ angry. She doesn't like being angry, you know. If I were you, it'd be better if you started running right now. If you want a chance to survive, that is."

"Ack-alright, alright! I'm sorry! I won't tease you again!"

"Raava forgives you."

" _Ass."_

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

* * *

Asami was surprised to see a large crowd had formed in place of the desolate training grounds she had witnessed upon arrival. Korra and Kai followed her in suit, questioning expressions mirroring each other. Korra went closer to Asami.

"It wasn't like this earlier, right?" She asked. Asami shook her head.

"No. They were all busy doing their shopping or rebuilding a few of the crumbling buildings. There was some small attention to this area, but nothing that warranted this kind of crowd. Half of the alienage alone must be here!" Her merriment couldn't be contained, "c'mon, let's go see what this is about!"

With that, she grasped Korra's hand and pulled her into the crowds, beaming with a childish glee she hadn't felt for eons.

And then, they both stopped dead in their tracks.

"Again!"

With a flexed hand, Ikki counteracted a young girl's water whip with a blast of air. It caused the two of them to stagger back slightly, but the grins never left their faces.

"Wrong again, Ikki!" Kusek bellowed. "You must keep focused! Do not slip back into your old habits. You wished for me to teach you how to incorporate waterbending technique within your airbending? Then see the air as  _fluid._ As something you  _shape._ Not something that is everywhere, something that can be blasted. Air is fluid, air is something that is hot or cold. Like the water you drink, it flows. Let that power  _flow._ "

"I'm  _trying!"_ She pouted. Asami could only stare in bewilderment. "It's hard!"

"Hard, yes. But  _possible._ "

"Is. . . is this actually happening?" Korra's mouth gaped wide. "Asami, this is real, right? Ikki's. . . she's  _learning._ She looks so much happier and healthier. This is real, isn't it? She's. . . she looks so much  _better,_ Asami. It's real. It's real, isn't it?"

Asami said little other than a small murmur. A few tears began to slip from her eyes and drop off of her chin as she saw Ikki; happy, learning,  _trying._

 _She didn't shut herself away. And she's smiling so brightly. Oh, Sato, look how attached you've gotten to her already. What's it going be like when she leaves, hm?_ The tears didn't stop falling, cascading down her cheeks until they formed a river all of their own.  _Well, I suppose I'll just wait for that day to come. Whatever happens now, for the moment, she's so_ _ **happy.**_

Warm fingers brushed tenderly against her cheek, and Asami gasped as Korra cupped her face. A small smile spread across Korra's lips, and she felt her heart race at the sight  _and_ proximity. Strangely enough, there were no nerves. At least, no negative ones.

" _You_ helped her, Asami." Korra whispered to her as she wiped away the tears that still fell down her face. "You helped her come this far. Thank-you for all that you've done."

Her throat closed over. "I-"

"Korra?"

Said woman's hand went away from Asami's face as Ikki rushed over to her, and hugged Korra tightly. Korra responded in kind, embracing the girl and kneeling down so that she could bury her head in her shoulder. Asami smiled as she wiped her eyes. Korra had a knack for great hugs.

"Hey there, Ikki."

"Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were doing important stuff in Republic City?" Ikki pulled away, still smiling. "D-Did you come here to see Asami?"

Kai couldn't help but snicker at Ikki's guess. Korra simply glared (much to Asami's amusement). "Not  _just_ Asami, I came here to see how you were. That was some good airbending up there!"

Ikki's face brightened. "Y-You think so?"

"I  _know_ so." Korra was met with another eager smile, before Ikki turned her attention to Kai.

"Crash!"

"Hello, scamp." Ikki giggled and went up to him where Kai wrapped his arms around her body almost immediately. Ikki leaned into the hug first of all, before she ended up squealing when Kai tickled her sides.

He let up soon enough, however, and Ikki tilted her head. "Why are you here? I thought you were with Dad?"

Kai scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, he doesn't actually know I'm gone."

Ikki's eyes widened. "Then  _why-?"_

"Jinora asked me to give you something. Well, more like I offered."

Ikki's smile fell. "Sh-she did?" Kai nodded, holding out the brown sheet of paper. With a trembling hand, Ikki took it and began to read it's contents.

Asami threw Korra a sidewards glance, but stayed silent as Ikki absorbed whatever words Jinora had poured out onto that piece of paper. Each word, however, only increased the light that Ikki's eyes had, and the smile that began to form in place of that uncertain frown. As soon as she was done, she looked like she had been blessed with the light of Raava herself.

"She. . . she misses me."

And with that, Ikki began to weep. Chanting over and over that "Jinora misses her", so much so that it made Asami instantly run up to her and hug her tightly.

"She  _misses_ me, Asami. She's not  _mad_ at me."

"I know." She cradled her close.

"She had Kai come all the way here to make sure I read it."

"I know. I know, sweetie, I'm so happy for you."

And she was. Though she had come to dread the day that Ikki would end up returning to live back with her parents, she was honestly elated with how far Ikki was coming. From the scared girl who huddled up in her room, to now  _learning_ how to incorporate waterbending moves into her own style. She didn't even need prompting for that. Asami Sato was many things, but at this moment, the only word that defined her was  _proud._

"What's that?" Ikki asked, and Asami realised she'd crumpled up the envelope in their embrace.

"Oh. I forgot I had this. Remember when you asked about learning about engineering? I've got something here you might look to see."

Ikki traded Jinora's letter for the envelope and pulled out a sheet of blueprints. "Wh-what's this?"

"You mentioned that your air gliding suit was torn and you couldn't use it very well anymore. But since I need time before the prosthetic is done and able to be made, I thought maybe this would be a good alternative in the meantime?"

It wasn't fancy. All Asami had done was use the traditional design of the glider staffs and made it so that it fit into a backpack of some kind, but Ikki was looking at it as if she were blessed by the spirits themselves. Asami began to flush a little.

"You did this. . . for me?"

"I'd do anything to keep you happy, Ikki." Asami confessed, and Ikki began to cry again. "Oh, no, sweetie, don't cry. It's okay. . .."

"B-But! You do all this nice stuff for me, and you're always so sleepy! You're not letting yourself be happy! I know you said we could make this together, but I want you to be happy, too!"

A slight string of laughter came out from Asami's lips, as she ruffled Ikki's hair. "Sweetie, believe me, I  _am_ happy. Happier than I've been in a while. I just need you to keep trying."

Ikki stared at her. "Promise?" She held out her pink.

Asami simply smiled. "Promise."


	8. Achievements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ikki laughs, Asami and Korra embrace, and Tenzin blames himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said this chapter would be relatively short compared to the last one, and I suppose you can call it that if making that comparison. However, I wanted to do a chapter based on reflection, rather than furthering the current story. Now, I must warn you all that I am not used to writing Meelo's character, neither am I well-versed in Tenzin's, but I will do my best to give their characters good justice in my version of their universe. I hope you enjoy!

"Dad, when is Ikki coming home? It's boring without her here."

Tenzin couldn't count the amount of times his son had asked that question. Sending Ikki to go and stay with Asami was one thing, but not having her in his constant threshold to see her recuperate was another agonising ordeal. Pema had spent the first few nights silently looking up at the stars, weeping without a sound, but she soon managed to barricade that sadness behind smiles and a motherly love for her youngest sons.

For him, it wasn't much easier. He wanted his meditation sessions to be over rather than extend to his usual times. His mind had become foggy in the ashes of the past, and no amount of air could sweep away what had already become tainted.

Meelo complained. Rohan cried. Pema faked. Jinora lacked a smile.

He wasn't even sure  _what_ he was doing anymore.

"I'm not sure, Meelo. Ikki will come back home when she feels it's time." The words tasted too similar on his lips. Repeated lies circulating around his ears like air. He'd never felt so sick of his native element, the one his father had been desperate to preserve.

"Well, she should hurry up. If it were me, I'd get over it. Those two ladies need to toughen up more." He moaned. Tenzin slammed his fist on the table, making Meelo flinch. "Dad?"

"Do not," his voice lowered, " _ever_ say that again, Meelo. Ikki is going through something worse than you'll ever know. Do  _not_ say she should just 'get over it'. Do you understand?"

Meelo merely picked behind his ear, his face scrunching up. "She wasn't hurt like Korra, though. She's still alive, and she's got people here to help her. I don't get why she had to leave. It made Mom said. She should know better."

"Meelo," Tenzin growled, " _stop._ "

"And why hasn't she come home, either? Not even to visit. Rohan keeps crying. It's getting annoying. Dad, why can't you just tell her to come home?"

"Because she's  _sick_ and Asami is helping her! If you do not stop talking about your sister like that, then you can go tonight without dinner!"

Both of them were shocked at Tenzin's outburst. Meelo had backed away in fear, and Tenzin's eyes were wide with surprise at his own words. After a few moments of hanging tension, the elder airbender had calmed, and sighed.

"Meelo," he said, "forgive me. I didn't mean to. . ." He rubbed the back of his head, "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. But you must understand, Ikki can't just get over this like a scrape on the knee. What she's going through is more than you'll understand. More than  _I_ can understand. Just know that she needs as much time as she can, and you'll have to allow her that time. She'll come home when she's ready."

Though he was slow in doing so, Meelo eventually crawled back over to sit next to his father, and put his hands in his lap. His face still retained the same scowl, but his head hung in defeat. Tenzin put a hand on his shoulder.

"I just don't understand." Meelo admitted, pouting a little. "I mean, yeah, she lost her arm, and that sucks. But Korra still smiled after she was hurt by those Lotus people. Why is Ikki so sad?"

Tenzin took his hand off of Meelo's shoulder, and cupped his bearded chin, seeking his mind for council on how to explain it to his son. Jinora was easier to speak to on these matters considering her maturity, but Meelo was another matter.

"Meelo, do you remember when we saw Ikki after the battle? What would you say she was like?"

Said boy furrowed his brows. "Weird." He finally concluded.

"Weird how?"

"She didn't seem like she was listening to us when we talked to her. She kept staring at nothing."

"Did she seem happy to you?"

Meelo shook his head. Tenzin could sense it was finally starting to settle in.

"That's because she wasn't. Everything she went through was. . . you know when you get hurt, but the bruises don't appear until a day later?"

"Like when I fell over on the stairs the other day?" He asked.

Tenzin nodded, ruffling his hair. "That's what Ikki went through. Her feelings are like bruises. She didn't feel the pain until a few days later. And that pain is going to be slow to make it feel better again. Some of it isn't going to fade at all. So all we can do is be there for her. We can offer things to help her with the pain, but we can't make it disappear. Do you understand?"

By that point, Meelo had begun to tear up. Tenzin pulled him close by one arm, and he felt Meelo grip onto his robe as he trembled in his arms.

"Why did she have to  _leave,_ Dad? Why can't she get better here?" He sobbed. It was seldom Meelo would share his feelings with  _anyone._ He would hide behind a facade of a militant-style critical attitude, but rarely allow anyone to see his own hurt. "Why did she have to  _go?_ "

"Sometimes we need distance from the ones we love to heal properly." He sighed, wrapping his other arm around Meelo and cradling him. It was then he remembered holding him this way when he were nothing but an infant.

Had time passed him by so quickly?

"Ikki will be back someday. If permanently, I cannot say. But she  _is_ your sister.  _Never_ doubt that, Meelo. She loves you, just as much as you love her."

" _I miss Ikki._ " He finally broke down, sobbing incoherent pleas for Ikki to get better into the chest of his father. They weren't loud wails, but noise couldn't compare to the shattering feeling of Tenzin's broken heart.

"I do too." He whispered. "I do, too."

_Yet you don't go and visit your own daughter. You're too scared to. You're scared of seeing your daughter as that empty shell again, and you know if you do, all you'll end up doing is blaming yourself for dragging her into that battle and being the catalyst in her ordeal. You've scarred your own daughter, and you cannot bring yourself to give her comfort._

_What a good father you turned out to be, Tenzin._

* * *

"So, let me get this straight. If I design this arm and apply it, Ikki will have to have surgery to remove the remaining part of her right arm?"

"I know they aren't the results you desire, Miss Sato, however if you want full functionality of the device, then. . . yes." Asami rested her head in her hands and sighed heavily. The two engineers looked at each other nervously, before continuing, "however, perhaps there is someone with better expertise in making this type of machinery?"

"The only person I know of is my father. I think we know how that ended." The two engineers flinched. However, Asami's eyes widened. "Wait. There  _is_ someone. . ." She groaned. "I just  _know_ the smug look on his face he'll get when I ask him for help. At least his fiance should have better luck in calming him down, at the very least." She glanced up at the two engineers, "you are dismissed. Thank you for your assistance. Go take the night off."

They didn't argue with her, scurrying out. Asami wiped her forehead and adjusted her glasses, before shuffling through the papers on her desk. Ikki was resting in one of the alienage huts, exhausted from another day of training under the tutelage of Kesuk, and didn't notice the lingering presence at the door.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Hm?" Seeing Korra hover in the doorway with a clear hesitance to take another step, she smiled a little. "Oh, Korra. Sorry, I. . . didn't see you. Please, come in."

With her hands in her pockets, Korra strolled over casually to her desk. "Who were they?" She asked.

"Just some engineers I enlisted for Ikki's prosthetic. It's. . . not going as well as I hoped." She admitted. Holding back some of her feelings would do her no good.

"How so? I thought the design was all good?" Korra pulled up a chair and sat down next to her.

"It  _is._ But  _making_ it will be a problem. This is the first time something like this has been made, at least for it to be able to move without the assistance of bending. The thing is, I'm not a physiologist. I don't know much about the biology side of science. I've read up on it, I wouldn't go into this unprepared, but. . ." Her head hung, "basically, the people I  _do_ know have said Ikki's upper arm may have to be removed if there's going to be a chance of it working. Difficulty moving the mechanical part if still attached to a biological joint or. . ." She rubbed under her eyes, "well, you get the idea. Not to mention, it could take  _three years_ at the least for her to recover."

"I don't know if I can do this, Korra. I don't know if I can build this." She felt Korra place a warm hand to her back, and felt an angry warmth boil in her stomach. "I  _promised,_ Agni, I  _promised_ her I could do this!"

Whatever comfort Korra's touch brought became drowned out by the disappointment she felt in herself. Asami Sato was one of the "best minds in Republic City". How could she claim that title if she couldn't save one little girl from her own sadness?

"You  _can._ "

Asami scoffed and her head snapped up to look at Korra. "How-"

"Because you're making something nobody has  _ever_ done before." She pointed out, "you're tackling something previously thought impossible. Doing the impossible tends not to be easy. I think Ikki knows it'll take time. But she's doing so  _well_ with you, Asami. She's  _happier._ That's something she wasn't getting with her own parents."

Asami smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "That's sweet, Korra, but I can't-"

"You  _can_."

Asami only stared at Korra, bewildered. Her face was nothing but a genuine smile. She  _believed_ in what she was saying. Believed truly that Asami could do this. Rebuilding a city was nothing compared to helping a little girl regain something that was lost. But nobody believed Asami could take hold of Future Industries and not crumble under the pressure. But she  _had._ She had crumbled. But she'd picked herself up again. She'd fallen and gotten back up.

She didn't have to help Korra all the times after the Equalist fiasco. She remained because they were her  _friends._ No personal ties except the ones forged in war and tragedy.

And now Korra believed in her.

. . .

"Okay."

Korra blinked. "Okay?"

Asami smiled a little. "Okay."

She could see the excitement flood into Korra's eyes at once. "Maybe I can help?" She said suddenly, "I'm not good with all that engineering stuff, but I'm the Avatar, right? That's got to have  _some_ merit."

"Just you  _being_ here is enough to help me, Korra."

Those words sprung a sudden blush to the Avatar's cheeks, but all she could do was chuckle with a nervous waver. "Yeah? Really?"

"Really." And then her hand settled on top of Korra's, her gaze softening as it caught sight of Korra. They were lost in the sea of blue that were Korra's beautiful eyes for a few moments, before she blinked, the metaphorical spark moving the cogs in her mind again. "Wait. . . Korra, there  _is_ something you can do for me."

"What is it? I'll do anything." She ignored the way that sentence made her heart skip a beat.

"You've got contacts from both Water Tribes, right? Do you think there are any students of Sokka that are still around?" Asami asked, "he was a scientist as well as a council member. Maybe he could. . .?"

Korra grinned. "I know  _just_ the person. She's still around today, though she's quietened down since then, lives away from the hustle of the city. She oversaw a lot of his works."

"Really? Who?"

Korra's grin widened. "Well, she knew Sokka  _personally._ "

It took a few moments to register. Then, Asami paled. "Wait, you don't mean. . .?"

"Was once leader of the Kyoshi Warriors? Yeah, I mean who you're thinking of. She used to visit the compound a few times a year, just before Sokka passed on. Then she stopped. She still sends Katara letters from time-to-time, though."

"You know  _Suki?!"_ Asami shot up from her seat, grabbing Korra's shoulders, "and you know where she is? She's been out of the spotlight for over a decade! Oh, she must have seen Sokka's entire work! One of the best known non-benders of the previous generations,  _and_ she was part of the original Team Avatar. She would be  _perfect_ to help out!"

Korra laughed loudly. "It would be a few days journey on a Sky Bison, at most. You want me to introduce you two?"

She never got a verbal answer from her, as Korra laughed when Asami wrapped her arms around her, excited rambles pouring from her lips as Asami squeezed her tight. She had to refrain from bouncing on the spot, just burying her head into Korra's shoulder. A few moments of calm, but Asami felt no hurry to pull away from the embrace. She felt Korra snake her arms around her waist, hugging her back.

 _She's wonderful,_ Asami thought,  _she's wonderful and she's in my life._

Then, Asami's heart skipped a beat. She felt Korra inhale the scent of her hair, and suddenly time stopped. If anything, she just hugged her tighter. Because Korra was  _there,_ with her, and not leaving again. She didn't  _want_ to let her go.

_. . . I don't want to let her go._

"Thank-you." She murmured.

"For what?" Asami answered, closing her eyes.

"Everything."

It was such a vague answer. Asami wasn't ever sure if she'd be able to understand it, but not everything was meant to be understood in great detail. All she knew was the admission, the embrace, and the closeness was making Korra's heart frantic.

But the affection she saw in Korra's eyes when she pulled away, was a tenfold of what she expected, and for once, she didn't want to seek an answer.

* * *

"Alright, my students. This ends today's session." Kesuk meandered around his students with a proud stride. With his arms behind his back and his posture straight, Ikki could have mistaken him for someone in her Uncle Bumi's regiment.

The past few days for Ikki had been about hard studying and remembering foreign material. Implementing waterbending moves into her airbending had been more difficult than she had initially thought. She'd grown up around her Aunt Kya and her Gran-Gran perfecting every flick of moving water with their wrists, wielding it with fluid stances. They always looked like they were dancing. They were beautiful. She wished it was as simple as she first thought, but she found learning with the students was fun, so she stayed.

Sometimes, it was hard. Sometimes she cried, screamed and wanted to give up. But she carried on. It's what Korra did: carry on. So she would, too.

"Remember what you have learned today. Nagisa! Tell me; what is the first principle of waterbending?"

_"Water is the element of change!"_

"Very good. Waterbending came from watching the tides drift and change with the vast landscapes. Len! What must you remember when moving the water with your will?"

_"Respect it as an extension of your own body!"_

"Also correct. Water makes up a majority of the human physical body. Air makes up the essence of our spirit, earth maintains the stability of the world we live in, and fire keeps our beings fueled and ready. But water is an extension of ourselves. Respect the tides, and they will be brought in closer to you."

Close, was the end of the lesson in sight, and Ikki found herself rather disheartened by the fact. Even though the rain poured down upon the training field, she still found an eagerness to learn more. Her stance slumped a little, and as Kesuk dismissed the students to go on their merry way, she couldn't bring herself to unroot her feet from the ground.

Ikki had never been a part of the student's main sparring session, but Kesuk had allowed her to join in on basic formations and stances, and had even advised her on how to use her air manipulation akin to water. During these sessions, she had learned that Kesuk had actually been travelling with his husband prior to his settlement in the alienage, helping out at healer's clinics whilst his husband taught herbal remedies to those who had the resources to grow the required ingredients. However, his tribal origins had beckoned him to stay within the walls of the alienage and teach the children the art of waterbending as best as he could.

Thus, it was there he remained. Six months and counting.

The rain continued to scatter to the ground in small pellets, and Ikki gently brushed her hand against the falling water. Her eyes became clouded and distant as they struggled to focus on one particular drop's path. Nothing was still long enough for her to try. Maybe if she had waterbending, it would be clearer.  _That's almost as long as when I lost my arm. . ._

"Is there something I can help you with, Ikki?"

Ikki blinked and looked up, seeing Kesuk looking at her with a concerned expression etched on his face. She wiped some of the raindrops from her eyes, and shook her head.

"Um," she bit her lip and dug her foot in the dirt. "it's. . . no, never mind, it's nothing. Sorry. I just. . . I mean, I didn't mean to worry you."

"I wasn't worrying over something I have no knowledge of." Kesuk knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her left shoulder, "but you lingered around. There is something on your mind. Care to tell me what it is?"

Ikki drew a large gulp of air and turned it into a sigh. "Why does rain always fall so quickly? Why is it always in such a hurry to go away from it's home up in the sky?"

Kesuk blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, that's a question I've never been asked. If I may ask, why are you wondering such a thing?"

Her head turned away from his gaze. "Back on Air Temple island, we used to get showers in the spring. They would always make the grass sparkle. Jinora teased me that it was spirits hiding underneath magical mirrors and that if I looked hard, I'd only ever see my face. Aunty Kya used to come around and play in the rain with us, but it always soaked our clothes so we could never stay out there too long. Rain is always so pretty, but it never stops to just enjoy the air."

Ikki ran her hand through her damp hair. "I just thought, since you're a waterbender and all, you might. . . know. Sorry," she blushed, "it's a dumb thing to think about. Ever since. . . my arm got lost, I think about things like that, and it. . . it's really weird. Sorry."

For a few moments, Ikki waited for his reply. A scorn of disbelief that she'd even asked that question, or a laugh filled with a tone of mockery, or something that came somewhere in the middle. She felt him stand up and move a few paces away from her, and she squeezed her eyes shut and began to tremble from the embarrassment.

 _Stupid questions,_  she thought to herself.

But the chastisement never came.

Neither did anymore rain.

Ikki opened one of her eyes, the lid flickering with hesitation, and then both of her grey eyes widened when she realized a small iced canopy had been created above her. But that wasn't the only intriguing thing. Glistening like lanterns strung onto a cord, raindrops hung in suspension around her, reflecting the lights from the refugees housing. She could only stare with her mouth hung agape, before she glanced back at Kesuk.

The waterbending master stood in position, his hands raised, and smiled at her. "Why don't you ask them why they fall, now?" Kesuk suggested. "They've stopped to say hello."

With a trembling finger, Ikki poked one of the suspended raindrops. She gasped when it fragmented into smaller droplets. But then, after a few bewildering sensations, Ikki laughed.

Childish, girlish giggles came out of her mouth, filling the air around her with the sweet melody of a healer's chant. She began to run through the work of Kesuk, laughing even more when the water tickled her neck and soaked in her hair. The water was cold, streaking down her neck with a chill even her Aunty Kya would shiver at, but she didn't care. She was born in the Nomadic nation of the Airbenders. She had her childhood ripped away from her by war and bloodshed. Her and her siblings had been put in danger more times than she had stumbled learning to walk. She'd had one of the worst things taken from her: her ability to have faith in herself and her abilities.

But now?

She was like the air:  _free_. She was like the water:  _changing._ She was like the fire:  _Energized._ And she was like the earth:  _tangible._

Pausing for a moment, with her hair soaked and the water droplets still hanging, she turned to her teacher. "Mr. Kesuk? Do you think these raindrops can go back home one day?"

Her teacher merely smiled. "Perhaps they do. But some of them will find home in other places. The important thing is not to forget where they came from."

"Do you think they'll forget?"

"Some may. Some may not. The important thing is what lessons they take from it, and what warnings."

Ikki looked down, "since my accident, I've not been able to do a lot of things. When I was at home, I didn't talk to anyone. I hurt people. I made my Mom cry because I was mean to her. But since I've been here, been with Asami, I feel. . . better. I still can't airbend as well, and I really want to do the airscooter that my Grandpa Aang made up, but I can't. What do I do then?"

Kesuk sighed, but his smile didn't waver. "The best thing to do Ikki, is to find a way to adapt. You've been given the freedom to change.  _Use_ it. How do you do the airscooter?"

"You put one foot forward, make four circles with both arms, and then jump with one foot pointed to balance. Then you cross your legs, and use small toe and both hand movements to keep the ball moving. I-I can't do that anymore. It's too hard with just one hand. Asami's making me a new arm, but I. . . I'm not sure it'll work."

"Then you use what you have now. Waterbenders use something called water manipulation to use the tools they have around them to walk on surfaces that would require a lot of concentration. If you cannot use the airscooter, then come up with something that is easier to maintain, but has the same efficiency. You said it requires small toe movements, right?"

Ikki nodded meekly. "Yeah. It keeps the big ball of air moving."

"Have you ever heard of ice-skating? Waterbenders ice the bottom of their feet to move across larger bodies of ice. I've shown you in class today, remember?"

"Yeah!" She grinned, "you used the smaller pieces of ice to go across the dirt! Wait. . . you did that with just your feet." Ikki glanced down at her bare toes. "Smaller pieces. . . smaller pieces. . . maybe if I break the big ball of the air scooter in half? Like those ice-skaters did?" Ikki snapped her fingers, "small toe movements, like with the air scooter. . . if I did that with two smaller balls of air underneath my feet, I could make an. . . an airskate? Oh, what was that game Meelo played called? Roller. . . something roller! Air-rollers! Scooter is just one, but roller could be two!"

Ikki had never been good at reading. All her ideas came from her mind, and were best translated in physical meanings. But right then, she remembered pictures of her grandfather in his prime, perfecting how to master the airscooter to future generations of airbenders.

_I can do it, too, Grandpa Aang. I can help people do things too._

In the middle of the suspended waterdrops, she put her hand in front of her, and breathed.

_Water means change. I can change things._

She put one foot forward.

_Airbending, at it's centre, is a circle. But circles can be big or small. I'm going to make them small, so I can make something bigger._

Slowly, she began to navigate her feet, one in front of the other, and pivot around her hand.

_Be fluid like the water. Change the shape of your surroundings._

She treated the air like she would water, and slowly, two balls of air began to manifest. Her eyes concentrated on the manifestation on the ground, and then with a sudden jolt, she pushed down on the air in front of her, launching her up to the tip of the iced canopy. For a brief moment, she saw her reflection. For the first time in months, she smiled at what she saw. Then, as she landed, her feet paralleled with the air-rollers, and she began to move. Her toes maintained the connection, and she moved as if on ice: fluid and ever-changing.

She left the iced canopy of her teacher, and began to move around the training grounds; fast and fluid, and her laughter echoed to the spirits and beyond.

"I did it!  _I did it!"_

Kesuk allowed the suspended raindrops to fall, and leaned against the iced canopy, arms folded. He smiled as she laughed.

" _I did it!"_


	9. Echoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the past. You remember. Everyone does. Yet you never stopped crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Considering Ikki has already told her story, I was thinking of not including this chapter at all. However, I really did want to illustrate just what Ikki went through during those months before she went to stay with Asami. We've only had hints here and there, and I really wanted to dive into Ikki's psyche after such a traumatic experience. Now, I've never lost a limb, and I've never been in a war. But someone close to me has. I've witnessed PTSD through the eyes of a child. I've got anxiety. So I know plenty about Ikki's emotional state. But there are bound to be things I get wrong. So if there's anything I could improve on, I beg of you to tell me, because it really does help. Anyway, on with the chapter! Also, this is a slightly different writing style this time around, and I'm not sure how it'll be effective in the reader's eyes, but I hope you do like it!

_The first time you wake up, it's all bright and hot and confusing. Voices rush around your head and light whizzes past your eyes in small shapes that dance and flows like white water and you just want to ask, what is going on?_

" _She's waking up," the voices become clearer to you, and there's an odd lack of weight on your left side, "someone, quick, get the. . ." Their voice isn't important to you anymore. You ignore it._

_Your head turns, and you see orange and red. 'Daddy?' You wonder. He's got a beard. . . maybe it's your Grandpa?_

" _Ikki? Sweetheart, you need to lie back down." It_ is  _your Daddy!_

" _D-Dad. . .?" You're surprised how dry your throat feels. You want to ask for some water, but your Daddy comes over and presses a freezing hand to your cheek. Or is it hot? You can't tell._

_You go to cover his hand with yours. But it doesn't move._

_Your eyes snap over to your right shoulder._

_. . . Where is it?_

" _D-Daddy? Wh-where's my arm?"_

_He looks sad. Why is he sad? What's going on?_

" _Daddy? D-Daddy! Wh-where is it? Daddy!"_

_It's then you get a better look. There's no more hand. You can't balance properly. There's nothing left but your right shoulder._

" _DADDY?"_

_It's then, you scream._

_A loud, piercing sound, and more people come in to hold you down. No! No, they need to let you go! WHy won't they let you go? Where's your arm?_

_Daddy?_

_Why isn't your Daddy helping you?_

" _DADDY!"_

_. . ._

_Silence._

_You don't scream anymore._

_So peaceful. . ._

* * *

"Ikki?"

The knocks on the door never stop. Ikki knows it's her mother again, worried about her, and wanting her to come down and eat some dinner with the rest of the family. Ikki can still see yesterday's food, cold and hard next to the door.

Wasting away. Decaying.

"Ikki, sweetie, please come down. You haven't eaten with us in four days. We're just worried about you."

Ikki stays still.

She hears her mother sigh outside the door, and catches the quickest attempt at her mother hiding a sob. Ikki bites her lip and hides her face in her pillow.

"Do you want me to leave it outside of your door again?"

". . . Mm."

It's quiet, but her mother breathes a sigh of relief. At least, Ikki assumes it's relief. Emotions are hard to figure out ever since her head got heavy.

But here, in her small room, she can lay down and sleep. Here, she can pretend nothing's wrong with her, with the world, with everything on the outside. Here is her private place where nothing goes wrong and nothing can take anything more away from her.

* * *

" _There was absolutely no way to save it?"_

" _Master Tenzin. Please. You've asked this so many times. . . I tried my best. I-I'm so sorry."_

" _Sorry isn't good enough! Republic City has some of the best doctors around! You should have been able to do something! What's going to happen to her now? She's going to be devastated."_

" _I_ tried."

" _Dad, she. . . tried her best."_

" _I know, Jinora. We all did."_

_You hear it all, and curl up on the bed, and begin to cry._

* * *

"I don't  _want_ to do any stupid meditation! You can't force me to!"

Ikki's face is flushed, facing away from her father. Tenzin is stood by the door, his arms folded and a scowl present on his thick brows.

"Regular meditation will help calm your mind, Ikki. It's a way to help you cope with your trauma. I won't ask again. Come down to the lesson, please. They're all waiting for you."

More faces that would look on her in pity. More faces that would hide away from her gaze, but stare when she thought they weren't looking.

Thinking things.  _Poor girl. I'm glad it isn't me. She's something I don't want to be. Don't go near her, she might cry._

"No. I'm not going. You can't make me."

"Ikki,  _please._ I know you're going through a hard time, believe me, but you can't-"

"You don't know  _anything_ about me, Daddy! You don't know anything about anyone. All you do is go on and on about what Grandpa Aang did and how he made things better for everyone. But  _you_  don't know how to make  _anyone_ feel better! You never have and you never ever  _will!"_

Her glare didn't fade. All Tenzin could do was stare at his baby daughter in shock. She didn't desist.

"Alright, Ikki. I'll leave you be."

Ikki slammed the slide-door shut behind him.  _Ugly words,_ she thinks to herself,  _why did I feel happy when I said them? It's not fair! Why do I keep hurting people!_

Collapsing to her knees, she put a hand over her mouth, and then vomited.

* * *

_You smile a little when Mommy brings Rohan in._

_He's quiet. He points at you. "Where's your arm?"_

_You swallow hard, and look away._

_Mommy answers for you. "It got lost when Ikki saved Jinora. But she doesn't need an arm to be great. Do you, Ikki?"_

_You don't answer that. Mommy just sighs sadly again, and places Rohan on the edge of the bed. All you can do is stroke his hair before you begin to cry, and he's whisked away._

* * *

"Ikki?"

She doesn't answer.

"Don't you want to talk?

She doesn't answer.

"Do you want to play Pai Shou?"

She doesn't answer.

"Thank you for everything you did. Can I come in?"

She doesn't answer.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

She doesn't answer.

". . . Alright, I'll go. Call me if you need anything."

She answers with the silent tears slipping down her cheeks.

* * *

_You settle back into your room, and suddenly it becomes a safe haven for you._

_The doctors still want to come around and do those tests, and you want Daddy and Mommy to tell them to go away. But they don't._

_Instead, they tell them to come around more often. You don't like that._

_Mommy defends you. Daddy argues. Their fights fill the air of the temple._

_You lock yourself in your room. The heavy air doesn't reach you there._

_It's all your fault, though. You know that._

_It's always all your fault._

* * *

Another knock is at the door, but this time, it's different. It's not coded like Meelo's; not hesitant like Jinora's; not soft like Mom's; not rare like Dad's. Ikki looks up from the shut window, and carefully swivels around from the bed, taking a few tentative steps.

"Hello?" Ikki's voice is rough like sandpaper, and she winces at how dry her mouth feels.

"Ikki, it's me, Korra. I know you don't want to see anyone, but I was hoping we could talk for a bit?"

_Korra's_ here? Ikki's head doesn't feel so heavy now.

Then she remembers; Korra's been through something like this before. She can understand. She can help without pitying her. So slowly, she goes to sit by the door, cross-legged and her remaining hand in her lap.

"Alright."

Ikki see's Korra's shadow copy her pose, and Ikki can tell she's facing the door.

"What have you eaten today?" It's an odd question, even for Korra. Ikki blinks in confusion, but Korra stays silent until she gets her answer.

"Water."

"Did it fill you up? Was it nice water?" Her questions are weird, but for some reason, Ikki likes them. She's always liked weird things. Counting leaves on trees; seeing how many streams of light the sun can make before sundown. It's weird, but she likes it.

"It was alright. Just tasted like water usually does."

"Sometimes I add a bit of sugar to my water. It makes it taste sweeter. Have you ever had that?"

"Don't plants do something like that?"

"I think they do. You'll have to ask someone who knows about plants, though. Maybe the people who bend water in the swamps, they'd know."

"Are they nice?"

"Some are."

"Do they like people not like them?"

"Sometimes. It depends on who the person is."

"Would they like me?"

"Well, I don't know. Would you want them to like you?"

"I-I don't know."

"That's okay."

"It's okay not to know things?"

"Not all the time. But it's okay to be unsure from time-to-time."

"When is it okay to be unsure?"

"When you think too hard about things and all those thoughts make your head feel heavy."

"I feel like that a lot."

"You do?"

"Yeah."

"Does it hurt?"

"It hurts sometimes."

"When does it hurt?"

"When I try not to think about what happened to me. When I hurt Dad and Jinora and Dad and Mom and Meelo and Rohan. It hurts when I hurt them and when I think about hurting them and what happened. I think too much."

Korra grows quiet, and Ikki begins to sweat. It trickles down her brow and prickles on her ears, and she begins to shake. Did she say too much? Would Korra believe her? Did she make any sense? Ikki doesn't know. She doesn't like not knowing. It was easier not telling them, now she doesn't know how Korra will react, and-

"Ikki, it's  _okay._ " Her voice doesn't make her stop shaking. "I'm going to open the door a little bit, is that okay with you?"

"Y-Yeah." She pants, before feeling a painful prick at her eyes.  _More_ tears.

It's then that Korra opens the door a little. She can see the blue of Korra's eyes, all concerned and worried, and it's then that she begins to cry  _loudly._

The embrace Korra gives her is slow, constantly asking if it's okay to hug her, and Ikki is nodding all the way, though she's not sure why she's accepting it. She's just being a bother to Korra, isn't she? Korra's the Avatar, not her big sister. No matter how much she loves Korra, she has bigger things to worry about than her.

. . . But then again, Ikki  _did_ find Korra first when she was sad.

Maybe it was her turn to be found.

* * *

_Mommy and Daddy are hugging, now. You peek from behind the door._

_That's good. They're happy._

_. . ._

_But this is your fault._

_It's all your fault._

_. . ._

_Maybe._


	10. Trails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trials and tribulations be damned. Some kids can say words that just hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the time of this chapter, a lot has happened in regards to my best friend. So I may not be able to update for a while. That said, I have no plans on neglecting this story forever. But try to be patient with me, that's all I ask. Exam season is upon me, I'm now on medication for my GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder), and I'm hoping I begin to get better. Most updates will be on my tumblr page (same user name as my account), so go there if you're really anxious about the updating schedule. This has been a very long chapter to write, and a fun one too, so I really hope you like it. ^^

" _Uwah-!"_

Spitting out the chunks of earth stuck in her mouth, Ikki huffed as she brushed off the dirt from her clothes. She dusted out her hair next, straightened out her clothes, and flexed her wrist. To her sadness, the familiar sensation of being coated in earth after a fall was not a feeling she found she could escape that easily.

Perfecting her "air-rollers", as she had dubbed them, had been difficult.

Once, she was a master at the air-scooter. Moving with the same graceful reckless abandon as her grandfather before her was a thing of the past. She had stumbled in her airbending since the loss of her arm, and this move was no exception.

Ikki punched the ground with a feeble fist, and simply lay down in a huff. The sun was glaring down at her, and she squinted back up at it until her eyes closed and she'd blocked out the light. "I'll never get this right. . ."

"Ikki?"

The scent of flowers (jasmine? Were there some herbs there too? Why would a flower merchant smell of herbs?) was caught by Ikki's sensitive nose, and her eyes opened to see a shadow looming over her. Ikki blinked, and flushed.

"T-Tuyen?" She exclaimed, sitting up at once. "S-Sorry, I didn't see you!"

Tuyen giggled and crouched down beside her. "It's alright, you don't need to apologize. I saw you fall over earlier and I thought you might be hurt . Are you okay?" She reached over and brushed some of the dirt from Ikki's cheek. "Still trying the air-rollers out, hm?"

The warm hand against her face made Ikki's skini grow hot, and she backed away from Tuyen's hand. "I-I. . ." She cleared her throat, before grinning sheepishly at her. "I'm not that hurt. I mean, I've been wurt hust-I, uh, I mean I've been hurt worst. Yeah."

"Well then," Tuyen said with a smile, "do you mind if I join you?"

"Join me?" Ikki cocked her head to the side, "what do you mean. . .?"

To her surprise, Tuyen flopped down onto the dusty ground below, with little care if the grains of dirt found their new home in her hair and on her clothes. Her doe-like eyes stared up at the sky, and for a moment Ikki saw the light reflected in her eyes.

Tuyen's hand pointed up, "that one looks like a dolphin-piranha. Oh!" She exclaimed, "and that one looks like the roots back home!"

"Roots?" Ikki had soon joined her, and placed her hand to rest on her stomach.

"Oh, right," their eyes met, and Ikki flushed from the tender smile Tuyen was giving her. Only her. "Papa was born near where the Swamp Benders live. It's why we love nature so much. But he met Mama a few years later, and they became travelling merchants. Had me along the way." She shrugged, "the swamp is still home to me, even when we travel."

"R-Right, I know what that's like." She brushed away a few loose strands that blocked out the light from her eyes. Her hair was getting so  _long_ these days. "Y'know, it's part of airbender tradition and such. Most of us go on long journeys to discover the world, but we come back to one of the temples after it's done, call it home. At least, that's what Dad always said."

A lone breeze crept down Ikki's spine, making the hair stand on-guard. Her hand felt clammy from the tight fist she had drawn the lone limb into. If Tuyen noticed, her head turned back to look at the skies, rather than the fallen sky dancer.

"Do you miss him?"

The question threw Ikki off-guard, and she tensed visibly. Still, the answer had always been lingering in the back of her mind. Nagging, tickling, pinching with hard truths she didn't want to accept.

"I don't know." She finally admitted.

"You don't  _know?"_ Her voice sounded shocked. Not that Ikki could blame her. Still, all Ikki did was shrug.

"It's not like I  _love_ being away from him," she began to explain, though the words felt dry in her mouth, "but, it's. . . hard to say why. He never really saw me after my accident. Only to bring me food. The one time he  _did_ see me. . .."

 _(_ _"This is some kind of joke, right? It takes me hurting Jinora by accident for you to come and see me?" Ikki was numbed. She didn't care anymore. "I guess only master airbenders are worth your time then, Daddy? Not broken ones like_ _**me!")** _

"It didn't end well." Ikki rubbed roughly under her eyes, and sniffed. Her nasal passages stung, and it was hard to keep her shoulders still enough to be discrete.

"Ikki? Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. I just don't want to think about that."

Ikki's head left the natural cushioning of the rocky floor. Tuyen soon joined her, holding her shoulders a little and patting her back. It was soothing, but not nearly as cathartic as she would have liked the comforting gesture to have been. It was better when Asami did it.

"I'm sorry," Ikki wheezed, "I just get like this wh-when I think about sad things. I can't help it. I don't mean to be a bother. I'm sorry. I'm  _sorry._ "

Tuyen's eyes darted around, and she soon bit her lip. "It's. . . erm, you don't need to be sorry. These things happen, right? You can be sad. I get sad a lot."

That drew out a breathless laughter from Ikki's lips. "It's a different kind of sad for me, but thanks."

Time passed in a slow rhythm between the two girls, though Ikki had become a master for time moving slower for her than anyone else, and the wind soon stopped blowing for her. For when two children speak of adult emotions such as tragic despair and apologise for the very essence of those emotions existing, nature stops to listen to their sorrow, and draw what comfort it can to them.

"Ikki?" She was forever questioning her name, "do you like songs?"

"Songs?" She thought hard about it. "I used to enjoy listening to drums."

She smiled. "There's an old song merchants sing through their travels. Papa taught it to me. Want to hear it?"

She smiled. "Sure."

Before she began, Tuyen cleared her throat, knelt in the middle of the ground, and clasped her hands together as if in personal prayer. As if she was dedicating the song to the spirits and gods of old and new, unborn and long dead alike. Ikki only watched her with wide eyes, and the breeze began to pick up once again, sending dried leaves soaring in the skies, broken-off pieces and all.

" _Through the window I see_  
on the plum tree,  
one blossom, one blossom worth  
of warmth."

Merchant chantings passed down from elder's ears to young one's hearts, and continuing in that circle like the dancing of air in the skies. The words were so simple, but Ikki liked simplicity, and she liked Tuyen's singing voice, and she liked the way that the leaves danced in the air as she sang, and she liked  _everything_ about this moment.

She  _was_ confused, however, when Tuyen stopped singing, unfolded her hands, and stared at Ikki with a vacant expression. "What did you think?"

"It was so pretty," Ikki complimented sincerely, "but it was really short. Is that all there is?"

Tuyen shook her head. "No, there's a few more verses, but I'm not allowed to sing the next part of the song yet. I've got to wait until I'm older before I can."

". . . Huh? Why do you have to wait until you're older?"

The merchant's daughter laughed at her. "The song is about the seasons. Spring is for the children to sing, summer is for the maidens to grow, autumn is for the wives to rest, and winter is for the widows to pass on. Then spring comes again, and we can all keep living on in new names and new voices." Tuyen flushed and rubbed the back of her neck, "at least, that's what my Grandma said to me. I can't sing the summer part until I become older."

A new way of singing? Waiting for years until you could sing another verse? "It sounds boring to wait that long just for a song."

"Boring to some," Tuyen snapped, "but for others, Ikki, we are able to  _wait._ "

She ducked her head in shame. "S-Sorry."

Scratching the side of her chin, Tuyen glanced around and sighed. "No, don't say sorry. I just get really touchy over things like this. About my family and stuff." Ikki glanced back up at her with wide-eyes and saw Tuyen flushing a little from embarrassment. "You see. . . nobody really understands when I talk about it. Because my family don't come from a bending nation, lots of people think we don't have our own culture and our own ways of doing things. It makes me sad, and it makes Papa sad, then I get angry at them. Sometimes people don't understand us all the time, though, which is what I forget. You know what I mean?"

Oh, how she  _did._ Though it had never echoed in her own lifetime, the stories she had heard from her father about how her culture, her grandfathers culture, had been taught in schools across different nations had damaged the image of a once nomadic, peaceful place. Saying they had an army, that they didn't care for others, that they were selfish and hoarded their powers to launch attacks on unsuspecting people. How  _they_ were made to be the bad guys when their lives were taken to make others look like heroes.

It was the only time she paid attention in her classes, and the only time she cried because of their history. Tragic stories be damned,  _that_ was the real sad story. How a culture had been misrepresented to suit the needs of others' self-glorification, and how a peaceful race had been left trailing in the dust of forgotten history as a result.

She wouldn't be like that again. She'd lost too much the past few months. It wouldn't hurt to help others from time-to-time.

"Teach me."

Tuyen's head turned rapidly to gaze at Ikki, and she looked shocked. "What?"

Ikki smiled at her. "I've got to go visit my Aunty Suki soon, but when I come back here, teach me about your family. If you'd like to. I like learning. I'd like to know."

"You. . . really?" Tuyen's words were slow, dragged out. "I-It's not exactly like airbender history. Just songs passed from merchants and stuff."

Ikki shrugged. "So? The song was pretty. I'm sure the rest are nice."

All Ikki could see in Tuyen's eyes was dumbfoundment. But then it melted into a bright, big smile, and Tuyen brushed more dirt away from Ikki's cheek. Though she blushed, her smile didn't deter, and her heart began to calm.

"I'd love to, Ikki. But do you want to watch some more clouds before you go?"

Ikki grinned. "Bet I can find more spirits than clouds."

Tuyen smirked. "It's  _on._ "

They continued to search for blue clouds and white spirits until night fell, and even then, used the excuse that so long as the stars lit up the sky, there were still ways to search for shapes on the velvet stretch. At one point, Tuyen's hand found Ikki's, and though their were stretches of pink on their cheeks, their smiles didn't fade.

* * *

"Is she asleep now?"

Tucking a few stray hairs from Ikki's face, Asami's smile softened before she placed her jacket over Ikki's blanketed body. She soon shifted back to the front of the bison with a small sigh, and watched as Korra held the reins to their flight.

"Yeah," she breathed into the night air, "she's fast asleep now."

"Good. She's all tuckered out." Korra chuckled a little. "I'll be she was up late watching the stars with that flower merchant again. What was her name?"

"Tuyen."

"Right, right." Korra clicked her tongue, "it's good she's sleeping easier now. You said she was having nightmares the first few nights she was with you?"

Asami nodded slowly. "She's getting better with sleeping. Though she usually climbs in with me most nights. It helps her, I think, to have someone close by to protect her. Or so she can protect them. I'm not sure which one."

"If anyone can figure it out, it's you." Korra pulled the reins back and maneuvered right, though she glanced at Asami out the corner of her eye. "You alright there, 'Sami? You've been quiet ever since we left the alienage."

Asami leant back against the bison, and closed her eyes. "I've just been trying to plan out  _what_ I'll say to Suki. She's one of the most esteemed warriors in  _history._ She personally oversaw Sokka's works, she's smart, she's wise, she's. . .."

"The other non-bender to the original Team Avatar?" Asami tensed when Korra guessed her ailment, and blushed when Korra began to laugh.

"It's not funny!"

"S-Sorry, sorry." Korra didn't  _sound_ sorry as she stifled the next few giggles. "I'm not laughing at the worry, but the fact that you're even thinking that. Asami, you don't have to live up to any legacy. Besides, I know she'll  _love_ you."

"Oh, really?" She rolled her eyes, "Avatar instincts?"

Korra scratched the back of her neck and looked back out toward the road ahead, facing away from Asami. "Actually, I told her about you before."

Asami was stunned. "You did? When?"

Korra's chest heaved, and Asami could see the tips of her ears turning red. "I went on a few rounds to check on different places after Kuvira's attack on Republic City. Went to go see Suki, see how she was. You cropped up a few times in the conversation."

"Oh." A wide grin spread across Asami's face, and she hid it by faking a yawn.

"You tired too?" Korra asked, "you can sleep if you want. I may not be able to drive as well as you in a  _car_ , but I can maintain a bison quite well."

Asami shook her head. "No, it's alright. It's better to have two eyes on the sky instead of one. Even  _if_ one pair of eyes happens to be the Avatar's."

"You're tired, Asami."

Her shoulders tensed. She turned to look at Korra, give her a reprimand and laugh it off, but the hardy look etched in Korra's eyes caught her at a standstill. "What-?"

Korra pointed. "You've got bags under your eyes, and don't think I haven't noticed all the coffee you've been drinking lately. The only time you sleep is when Ikki comes in, and you're sketching that new arm design, aren't you?"

Asami's head hung in defeat. She saw little point in keeping the truth from her. "There's a chance it won't work. The machinery is too complicated. All the prototypes I've created either rust or are too heavy for her to manage without constant maintenance." She chose to ignore the pitying look on Korra's face as she continued. "I've even asked  _Varrick_ for help. He wants to make it into a profit, of course, but I just. . .."

"Ikki doesn't know this, does she?"

Asami looked away. A bitter chuckle was heard in place of a jovial laugh. "She's pinning all her hopes on this, to be able to get back to some semblance of normality. Do you know she's been in my workshop almost every day since I told her about it? Bon had noticed her hanging about in the rafters a few days before I did, watching my staff work on the machinery. She reads my Dad's books, she asks questions about engineering, she's becoming so interested in it. Korra, I, I- I don't know how to tell her that it might not work." Her voice caught in her throat.

"Asami?"

Her voice grew quiet. "I  _promised_ her, Korra. I promised I'd help her."

Korra wracked her brain for an answer. Asami could tell by the way she pouted and looked up at the stars. "Tell me what problems you've run into so far."

She rummaged around in her pack, before pulling out a recent blueprint. She then shuffled back next to Korra, and laid out the design on both their laps. "Well, this part here-part a? It rusts when in contact with water, which could prove painful if Ikki has it applied. We've tried to find a metal that can't be manipulated by bending  _and_ doesn't rust, but it's so  _hard,_ Korra. Not to mention: it's heavy. So heavy that it could stunt her growth."

"Ikki's not exactly the strongest physically," Korra murmured, "anything else?"

"Yeah," Asami breathed. "I've been speaking with a specialist in bio-medical engineering. One of my Dad's old associates, Saori. She told me to have something like this possible, Ikki will have to undergo a surgery that could be  _painful._ "

"What?" Korra looked between Ikki and Asami with frantic haste, then hushed her voice. "Why?"

"Remember when I said the reason Ikki might be able to have this, is that it's more than likely her brain is still registering a connection to her nervous system?"

Korra rubbed the back of her neck. "Sort of? I'm not really good at all that stuff."

Asami pursed her lips. "Remember Ming'Hua, how she could still bend without her arms?" Korra nodded. "Well, uh, her "chi" path still followed down to where her arms were, even though she physically didn't have them. Think of the chi path as the nervous system. It connects the entire body and allows it to feel."

"Oh," understanding settled on Korra's face, "so why would she have to go through surgery that would hurt her?"

"In order for the arm to be controlled by Ikki like a normal limb, we'd have to re-connect the nerves to the prosthetic. But the thing it, we won't know if it'll work unless she's awake to feel the results, including the pain."

Asami covered her face. "Otherwise her body could reject it, and we'd have to try all over again. Not to mention, even if it does work, the recovery could be  _years._ And she'd still have to have regular maintenance checks."

"If it works at all."

"Yeah. If it works at all."

Asami didn't watch as the information settled in Korra. She opted to close her eyes and block out any hint of disapproval or scorn from her. Still, she felt lighter, somehow. As if she'd released a terrible burden of keeping those facts to herself. It'd been hard, being so cheerful in front of a little girl who'd placed all her hope in her, only to know full-well she was failing her.

Everyday, Ikki would asks questions about the arm. Everyday, Asami would clench her heart and smile, saying it "could work" but "drafting still needed to be done", and other such vague-but-clear answers to avoid the truth of breaking the heart of a child. (She'd already experienced that herself. Ikki didn't need to go through anymore pain.)

"You'll do fine, Asami."

Asami groaned. "Korra, please, don't-I-I can't, not now-don't just say things like that." She opened her eyes, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a grin on Korra's face. "What?"

"Did that make you feel better?"

Asami blinked in confusion, until it clicked.

_She played dumb on purpose._

All to get the weight off her chest.

"You did listen to me before. I didn't need to explain most of that."

"That's the truth."

Asami bit her lip. "Then  _why?_ "

Korra shrugged, "I was worried about you. I know you, 'Sami. You don't ever let your feelings show unless it's mixed in with that mecha-babble of yours. It was the only way to get you to talk."

She chewed down on her lip harder. Lipstick stained her front teeth.

"Yeah, Ikki will probably be crushed if she finds out. But you're good, Asami. You're  _better_ than good. You don't have to shoulder all this weight by yourself." Korra placed a hand on her shoulder, and it was then she saw that same affection again, the one that had been growing ever since Korra's return. All she could do was stare. "Let us in, Asami. Bo, Mako, and me. We're worried about you. We can help."

"I. . . I-I don't. . .."

"You were there for me all those years ago." Her hand felt so  _warm_ on her shoulder. "And now you're there for Ikki, too. Yeah, Ikki's probably not going to like what she hears, but that's a fact of life. There's no avoiding it. I was poisoned, and I thought it wouldn't take me as long as it did to get better. Then I got tired of trying to  _get_ better. Ikki's a kid, sure, but she'll learn it's not going to be as easy as she thought. It'll be hard for her to get through, but we'll be there to help her. Just as I'm here to help you, now."

Silence.

Asami then, with a shaky hand, covered Korra's palm on her shoulder, and leaned her cheek against it. She revelled in the warmth, took comfort in the soft skin, and smiled.

"Alright. Alright, Korra. I'll let you in."

Korra's grin brightened. "Yeah?"

"It'd be madness not to."

"Good," Korra stroked Asami's hand with her thumb as they interlocked fingers. "Uh, by the way, Asami?"

"Mm?" She hummed in response.

"Smile like that more often."

"Why?" She opened her eyes, but Korra had turned away from her again.

"Because it's beautiful."

Her eyes slowly widened, and a blush settled on Asami's face. Korra still didn't look at her. "Korra?"

"Uh, w-we're nearly to the island now!" Her voice was a touch higher, slightly strained, and Asmai could only chuckle. "There's, uh, no more time to get nervous now. So, uh, yeah. You, uh, you had b-better get prepared, r-right?"

"I've already got everything I need." Asami whispered.

Their hands never parted for the rest of the journey.

* * *

"Suki? It's Korra! I've come with Asami and Ikki, remember? Are you in?"

Korra rubbed the back of her neck and sighed in frustration. The last times she'd been here, Suki had been at the door almost immediately. Welcoming her in, telling stories of her times with the last Team Avatar (and going into a lot more detail than Toph ever did), but for whatever reason, it was taking her longer to answer this time around.

"Did we come on a bad day?" Ikki asked, peering from behind Asami's skirt.

"No, she knows we're coming. . .." Korra mused, "unless there was some emergency down in the villages, but I can't see what it would be. They didn't seem too bad when we passed over them earlier. Maybe I was wrong, though. . .."

Asami shook her head and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe she just went out to get something? She couldn't have gotten too far if that's the case-"

" _Are you implying I'm too old to walk fast, young lady?"_

Asami tensed up and went rigid, taking her hand off of Korra's shoulder instantly. Turning around, Korra grinned at the sight of the speaker, and rushed over to wrap her arms around her. "It's good to see you again, Suki."

"Likewise, Avatar Korra." Suki patted her on the back with a wrinkled hand, and smiled as she saw the small figure peeping out from behind Asami. "Is that you, Ikki?"

Korra watched as Ikki slowly left the shield of Asami's body (who was still frozen in shock), and walked over shyly toward her aunt. "H-Hi," she mumbled, her gaze not leaving the floor.

Suki knelt down toward Ikki, placing her ringed hand on her right cheek, with her thumb brushing tenderly over the scarring there. Ikki flinched, and her face flushed, and Korra had to stop herself from going over there as soon as she saw tears forming in her eyes. "My, how you've grown since I saw you last." Suki smiled at her, "I heard about what you did from your father. Your bravery knew no bounds. I  _know_ your Grandpa would be proud of you."

"H-He would?" Ikki hiccuped.

Korra spared a glance to Asami, and put a hand on her arm as she saw Asami struggling to hold back tears of her own.

"Your Grandfather always prided the world the most when he saw others helping people." Suki kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry it came at such a cost. You look better now, though."

"It's because Korra's been helping me. A-And Asami too!" She added. "The thing is, I'm living with Asami at the moment so I can be better again and so I don't hurt people when I get angry with them. She's making me a new arm too! So I can be even better than before!" Ikki exclaimed excitedly, "she's really good at making things! I think Uncle Sokka would have  _really_ liked her!"

Asami was still rigid, though she stiffly turned around, an awkward grin on her face, and gave a short wave. Korra stifled another laugh (not wishing to gain another glare), and folded her arms. "Asami's been amazing. You should see some of the things she's invented."

"I'm quite aware of your admiration for Asami, Korra. You didn't stop talking about her on your last visit." Korra blushed heavily, and scratched the bottom of her chin. "But it is a pleasure to meet you at long last, Asami. From all that Korra's told me, I feel as if I know you already."

"I-It's an honour to meet you too." Asami stammered, shaking the older woman's hand with a barely-restrained sense of awe.

Suki laughed, "well, the honour's all mine. However, don't ever say that to Zuko. The poor man could barely hold back his flashbacks last time he heard someone say 'honour' in his presence."

Asami tilted her head. "Pardon?"

Suki merely waved her hand. "Never you mind. Just an old joke between friends. Now, I believe you came here to seek some information from me. About my Sokka, right?"

"Y-Yes. Though more of his work than his actual. . . well, I suppose his work  _was_ part of him, but-ah, I'm getting side-tracked." Asami looked around in her pack for something. "But the information isn't for me. I mean, well, it  _is_ for me, but it's for me so that I can help Ikki with her arm, and, well-" She paused when Suki put a hand on her arm.

"No need to go scuffling around out here. Let's go inside and speak, hm? It gets colder this time of day."

As a flustered Asami was led into the small house by Suki's withered but strong hand, Korra's footsteps were halted by something tugging at the hem of her shirt. She glanced around to see Ikki, peering up at her with perplexity. Korra turned and knelt at her level, one brow raised.

"Everything okay, Ikki?" She asked, and grew even more confused when Ikki looked down.

Ikki shook her head. "Is everything okay with Asami?"

Korra scratched under her chin. "She's a little nervous to be around Suki, but she's just a bit starstruck. You know, like Bolin is whenever he's around someone he looks up to. Like you were when you first met me."

"No, that's not it. I know she was excited to meet Suki. She wouldn't stop talking about how excited she was last night." Ikki ran a hand through her hair. Korra noticed just how long and messy it was. "But she seems really scared about something. Has she said anything to you?"

Heat began to prickle at the back of Korra's neck.  _It's Asami's choice to tell her or not. But keeping the truth from her is just going to make it worse if she ever_ does  _find out._

"She. . . has told me something, but I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Ikki pouted, "she's my friend to! Just because she likes you, doesn't mean you get to keep her all to yourself!"

" _What?"_  Korra grunted, "Ikki, don't talk about things like that. Asami is my friend, nothing more, and I'm not going to share all her private worries with people just because they ask nicely."

Ikki didn't back down. She put a hand on her hip. "What  _is_ it with grown-ups and hiding things that make people happy? I just want to make sure Asami's okay! What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing!" Korra sat on the ground and rubbed the back of her neck. Taking a few moments, she let the cool air flood into her lungs, and the anger that boiled ceased. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. Nothing's wrong with worrying about her. But it would make Asami feel better not to feel like she  _has_ to tell people what's wrong. Wait for her to tell you, okay?"

Ikki went to her knees, and pouted. "I just want to know she's okay. She always does so much for me, I want to do something to help her too."

Korra chuckled and slung an arm around her shoulders. "There's nothing wrong with that either. But you don't need to know all the sad things about someone to help them." She poked Ikki in the side, causing a giggle, "you're a sweet kid for worrying, though."

"If Asami  _did_ tell me what made her sad, do you think I could help?"

With a quiet regard, Korra gazed at Ikki. "Do you think you could help her?"

Ikki curled up in a ball. "I don't think I can do anything."

"Why not?"

"Back at Air Temple island, everyone always whispered things about me. Everyone always went quiet and stared at me if I came down to dinner. It's like they didn't think I was me anymore. It's like I wasn't even a person anymore."

Korra gritted her teeth. She'd witnessed some of the acolytes gossiping about Ikki and her accident before, about how they should avoid her in case they upset her, but it was news to her that it was widespread throughout the temple. Tenzin did nothing to stop this?

"B-But it's okay!" Ikki grinned, albeit her voice came with a waver, "I've been practicing a new airbending skill that makes me faster than before, I've been practicing every day until I get it right! Oh, a-and I'm getting better all the time, and Kesuk is teaching me how to put waterbending into airbending moves, and Asami's making that arm for me, right? So I'll look cool instead of. . . well, you know."

"R-Right." Korra stood up and smiled nervously, "yeah, Asami's good at making things. She'll do that for you. She'll definitely do that for you and it will be awesome!"

A bright smile came to Ikki's dismayed face, and she jumped up. "Let's go see Aunty Suki then! We don't want to keep her waiting!"

Korra smacked a hand to her forehead as soon as Ikki was out of sight, and groaned.

She was such an  _idiot._

* * *

"Excuse me, Mr. Kesuk?"

Putting the water back into the skin on his belt, Kesuk looked over his shoulder. "Oh, Tuyen. What can I do for you?"

Tuyen fiddled with the hem of her sleeves and looked down with a nervous smile. "I was wondering if I could ask you a question about something."

"I always welcome curiosity. Please, ask away."

"Um." Tuyen twirled a lock of hair around her fingers. "Is it-I mean, do you think. . . h-how did you know when you liked your husband?" She blurted out, then covered her mouth. "I-I'm sorry! That was rude of me to suddenly ask like that!"

For a few seconds, Kesuk was stunned, but his gaping mouth soon let out an idle laugh. "I didn't expect my own life to be the subject of your intrigue, Tuyen, but I shall do my best to answer it regardless." He sat down on the roots of the tree that Ikki had shared her story to him, and glanced up at the sky that had began to clear itself of the wispy clouds.

Tuyen sat down on the earthy ground in front of him, the dust coating the bottom of her green dress.

"Yuen-Sai is a. . . critical man. Even as a teenager, he was." Kesuk ran a hand through his hair. "It was hard to fathom what he was thinking back then. Even now, he scolds me for not guessing it right first time. I was. . . seventeen, I believe? When I finally shared my feelings."

"H-How did he respond?" Tuyen leaned forward, eyes wide.

"He blushed, hit me over the head with a stack of papers, and complained I was making a scene and a spectacle of myself. We were alone. In his apothecary."

"What? Why?" She gasped.

Kesuk merely smirked. "Like I said, he was hard to read. I found out later that he was scared of a few things."

Tuyen tilted her head. "Like what?"

Kesuk rested his head in the knots of the tree, and closed his eyes as he felt the sun touch his face. "Of loving a man. Of someone loving him even though he was in a wheelchair. Even with all his confidence, he was afraid. Not that he hated who he was, mind you, or that he was unworthy. It wasn't the rejection, but the possibility of facing more backlash than he already experienced on a daily basis."

"My Papa doesn't like it when people love someone the same as them. He likes families to have a mother and a father." Tuyen took a flower from her basket, watching as the light pierced through the purple petals and created a new glow on her fingers. "But it's not wrong, is it?"

"No, it's not." He watched her closely. "Have you taken a certain fancy of your own, perhaps?"

Tuyen dropped the flower and flushed, "wh-where would you get that idea from?"

Kesuk smiled.  _Young love indeed._ "I had a notion."

* * *

"Do you take your tea with sugar, Asami?" Suki took the kettle off of the burning stove, pouring the piping water into three china cups. "I know my niece here has a bit of a sweet tooth, same with Korra."

Asami shook her head. "Oh, no thank-you."

She carried over two of the piping cups of tea, with Korra handing the other two, and they all knelt at the centre-table. "Now," Suki took a sip, "first of all, I hope you understand I never really  _participated_ in my husband's work, yes? I oversaw them, sure, but that was mainly to keep him out of trouble. That man had a habit of almost killing himself daily if it weren't for me."

"Korra told me on our way down here." Asami told her, setting her cup down on the table. "But I was wondering if he ever worked on anything similar to what I was creating for Ikki. If any of his notes were still around, that sort of thing?"

Suki cupped her chin. "Hm. . .." After a few moments, she snapped her fingers. "I believe he made notes on  _something_ similar. He never worked on anything similar as far as I  _know,_ but all bad drawings aside, he did. . .."

Her voice trailed off into the next room, as she stood up with a sudden rush of energy. Asami glanced over at Korra, and their faces of confusion mirrored each other.

"Aunty Suki?" Ikki called, "what are you doing?

_Thank Agni for children's insatiable curiousity and saying things adults are too afraid to ask._

Ikki never did receive a verbal answer to her question, however, as she came in with a binder of papers seconds later. Spreading them out on the floor, her hand hovered over a few of them, squinting her eyes.

"Everything okay, Suki?" Korra asked, "what's all that?"

"My eyesight is failing me these days, stupid old age," she grunted. "Just look for something that says "Sparky-Sparky Boom Man" on it, and that'll be what you're looking for."

_How does she make sense of this? The writing looks like chicken-scratch! And-are some of them upside-down? Sokka was a brilliant mind, but I've seen better writing from Varrick when he's hyped up on little more than cold air!_

"There."

Three faces turned to see Ikki, as if the writing was a beacon, with her finger over the title.

"Right. Thanks, Ikki." Asami took the papers, narrowing her eyes to try and make sense of what was barely passing as writing. "Now, if I just-hold it up this way-or this way?"

"Hold it up against the light. It becomes more decipherable that way."

Taking her advice, Asami did just that, and the etchings of black marker became more outlines. "Though we noticed he was moving with an arm of metal, we wondered how that came to be. We knew about prosthetics before, we'd never known them to be able to move in such a way. His movements were stiff, but were still able to support them. Full functionality may take years, even decades, but it was possible."

"Stiff?" Ikki peered at Asami, "what does it mean, 'stiff'?"

Asami gulped. Something stuck to the roof of her throat, and wouldn't go down.  _The truth._ "L-Let's read the rest of the notes first." Suki, however stayed quiet, sipping her tea in the corner, but her eyes didn't leave Asami as she continued to read.

"The main principle, of course, is how he was able to move it in the first place. From calculation, we can determine that the arm he possessed hadn't always been needed, and that he had lost his biological arm after birth. However, to connect his arm to a piece of metal-one that was rusting, would had to have had major connections to his nervous sy. . .."

Asami stopped dead in her tracks. She dare not see what Ikki's reaction to that would be.

"Why did you stop? I want to know what he said!" Ikki stood up and rushed over to Asami, reaching to grab the paper from her grasp. "C'mon, Asami, let me read the rest-"

" _No!"_ She pushed Ikki away from her, holding the paper to her chest. Ikki had backed away in fear, her eyes becoming watery and red. "Oh, Ikki, I'm sorry, I didn't. . .." Asami sighed, setting the paper down. "Ikki, there's something I need to tell you."

Ikki wiped under her eyes. "It's alright. I was just being stupid again, wasn't I?"

"No, you weren't." Asami put a hand to her shoulder. "You weren't being stupid. I just didn't think. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Wh-what did you want to tell me?" Ikki asked.

Asami saw Korra bite her lip.  _It'll be okay,_ she mouthed.

"Ikki, you know how I said the arm might be a bit hard to make?"

The young airbender nodded. "I thought you got past that though."

Asami shook her head, and tucked her hair behind her ear. "The reason I'm here is because I was hoping there was something here that could help me in it. It's been harder than I thought. To make it move, too. There's. . .." Asami sighed, "you might have to have surgery. One that might hurt a lot. There's a chance it might not even work, too."

…

The truth, especially for someone sanguine in bad events like Asami, was a bitter herb to swallow. Just seeing the wide-eyed innocence shatter in Ikki even more made her heart constrict to a painful degree, and any shred of hope that Ikki would understand had been cut out of Asami's heart, and left it bleeding inside. For the look on Ikki's face was something no person should ever have to bear witness to. Her brows furrowed, her mouth hung agape, and any trust she had put in the world had crumbled, leaving only naked reality to face the harsh storms of summer.

"Y-You promised it wouldn't hurt anymore. . .." She choked out in a sob.

"I know I did," Asami murmured, her nasal passage beginning to sting. "I couldn't keep this promise, Ikki. I can't change what I can't control. I'm doing everything I can to try and make it better, I-"

"You promised it wouldn't hurt anymore! You promised and you  _lied_ to me!"

"That is  _enough._ "

Ikki flinched as Suki rose from her seated position, and frowned at her niece.

"Asami, you had no right to hide this from Ikki for as long as you did. Of course Ikki would be upset with you." Suki folded her arms, "an engineer should know not to hide their methods from their work staff. Why should this be any different?"

"I know." Asami felt herself shrink into her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Ikki. I'm  _so_ sorry."

Suki bowed her head to Asami, before she regarded Ikki with a stern expression. "Ikki, no niece of mine is going to blame someone for lying when they are innocent. Asami kept this from you to stop you from hurting. She didn't lie to you. She wanted to protect you. Don't make her feel bad for trying to protect your happiness."

She didn't respond. The only thing Ikki did, was be quiet.

Silence could sometimes scream the loudest of tragedies.

But a sharp knock on the door made all that silence go away into the abyss of their minds. Suki rubbed her temples. "Who is it?"

" _Earth Empire business, Master Suki. We wish to discuss the settlements on the beach."_

Asami's head snapped over to Ikki when she heard the girl gasp and fall to her knees. "Ikki!" She caught her just before she collapsed, only to grow more worried when she began to shake.

"Suki? Do you know these people?" Korra had also gone to Ikki's side, steadying her by holding the small of her back.

Suki sighed and placed her cup down. "Those left behind from the Earth Empire still declare their dictatorship over certain villages in the vicinity. They barter with me because my voice is still one that holds authority above their own. I'll deal with them now." Suki looked over to Ikki, "but I don't think it's a good idea for that young one to stay here."

Korra nodded. "Asami, get Ikki out of here. Take her back to Kesuk and the others. I'll find my own way back." Korra stood next to Suki, "keep her calm. Don't make any sudden movements to frighten her."

"I know, Korra." Carefully, Asami put her arms around Ikki and lifted her up, and her heart broke at the tremors that came with her. Asami's eyes surveyed the room, "is there anyway that we can get out without using the front door?"

Suki pointed toward the kitchen, "there's a wide window there. Doubles as a door for me. Go through there."

"Right. Thank-you."

Before Asami could move, however, Suki had moved in front of them, and placed a hand to Ikki's cheek. "All will be well, Ikki. You're in safe hands." She kissed the teary-eyed girl on the forehead, "just remember to breathe, okay?"

Ikki didn't respond to the kind sentiment, and the only thing she did that was noteworthy was bite her lip and clench her small hand into a white-knuckled fist. Suki went back to the front door moments later, though gestured for Asami to take Ikki and leave as soon as they were able. There were no words to be said, no returning response.

Nor did she ever get the chance to give it, if she had been planning on it, as Asami had whisked her away from the room seconds later. The two of them had gone out of the window and hopped onto the bison that waited for their getaway. Suki's home was a mere speck on the horizon as soon as their ascension into the sky began.

* * *

The flight back, all things considered, had been terrifying.

Ikki couldn't stop herself from shaking. Everything felt hot and dizzy. Asami's backrubs had helped, but didn't stop it. Nothing was stopping it. Everything was just blurry and made her scared and afraid and angry and all the news with those. . . those people coming to the door made it so she couldn't breathe and nothing could stop it and she couldn't stop  _thinking_ and-

Ikki covered her mouth and whimpered. She curled up on her bed in the airship, and squeezed her eyes shut until no more light remained.

The curtains had been closed. The door was closed. No light came in at all. She felt safe. Safe. So  _safe_ with no light here.

"Ikki?"

Ikki's eyes opened a little. "Yes?" She responded, her voice thick and dry.

"Can I come in? I've got some water for you to drink." She could hear Asami's feet scuffing the floor. "I know I'm not the person you don't really want to see right now, but-"

"Just come in," Ikki was surprised how sharp her voice sounded, but didn't desist, "please. Come in, please."

A few streams of light pierced through the wall of darkness that had been her surroundings, and Asami came in with a small glass of water in her hand. It was then Ikki noticed how  _tired_ she looked. Bags under her eyes, no make-up on to speak of, and her clothes were rustled and her hair was sticking up at odd angles.

Even then, Ikki couldn't find much energy to muster up to bring herself to  _care._ Asami should know when to take a break, right? What did she have to lose that Ikki hadn't already lost? Asami would never know how it felt to be her.  _Never._

Setting down the water on the counter, Asami took a hesitant seat at the edge of Ikki's bed, and smoothed out her hands on her lap. With a hefty sigh, she tried to make eye-contact, but her efforts were in vain. Ikki wouldn't look at her.

"Ikki," Asami began, running a hand through her hair, "I didn't want to tell you because I wanted you to focus on getting better. You were doing so well here, so I, I thought that if I told you when you were able to make a clear understanding of it, that was going to be when I told you."

"So you think I'm weak, too?"

Asami flinched. "No, I don't. I never said that. I just wanted-"

"You're just like my Dad! You think I'm not able to do anything!" Ikki raised her voice and jumped away from the bed, clenching her fist tightly. "Why didn't you just  _tell_ me, Asami? Why keep it from me?"

Asami held her hands out, as if to calm the tension in the room. It didn't work. "Ikki, calm down. I didn't tell you because I knew you would be upset."

"Why does it have to hurt, Asami? Why does it have to hurt to make me better? I'm not Korra! I don't want to learn things from being hurt!" Ikki's screams coupled with another teary mess, and she looked like a feral pup that had just lost it's pack.

"You don't  _have_ to, Ikki, you-"

"You're supposed to be good at making things! You promised you wouldn't make it hurt anymore. You said you didn't break promises!" Ikki let off a small whine, "I don't want to hurt anymore, Asami. I can't stop remembering about all the hurt. I don't want to hurt!"

Asami began to shake. "Please, Ikki, you need to calm  _down,_ just listen to me. I'm doing my best to make it all better, I just have to work out a few things in the drafts-"

"Just stop, Asami. You can't help me anymore. You said it yourself, there's not a way to be sure it will work."

"Ikki, I can help, I just-"

"How can you help me?" Ikki's face began to go red, "you can't help me! You tried and you didn't help! All you're doing is making the hurt worse! You're just like my Dad, like my Mom-they couldn't help me either because they  _lied_ to me about getting better!"

"Ikki," Asami took a tentative step toward her, "your father was trying to help you. He loves you, he wasn't lying to you, he was just trying to stop the hurt the best way he knew how."

"What would you know? You don't even  _have_ a Dad anymore!"

. . .

Darkness could not shroud the feeling of shock. Nor could it shield the hurt that words could bring upon those we desire to help. Words said in anger, words said in distress, couldn't compare with the heartbreak of hearing the truth delivered by the agony of an angry, betrayed child.

"A-Asami," Ikki covered her mouth, trying to grasp at the words and stuff them back into her throat. "I-I'm-"

Asami had turned away from her. "I know you didn't mean it. I know you're sorry. Don't worry about that."

_Her words sound empty._

"Ikki, I'm going to have to ask that you don't see me for an hour or so. I know you didn't mean it." She smiled a little, "but that. . . hurt to hear, Ikki. A lot. So I need to leave for a bit, and I'm going to have to insist you don't follow. Okay?"

Ikki whimpered. "O-Okay."

Asami didn't say anymore. She left without another word, closing the door and the light behind her. Ikki was left in that cocoon of darkness, but it didn't feel so safe anymore.

She wheezed, covering her mouth, and began to cry.

 _I've messed it up. I've messed it all up now. I've hurt Asami really badly, I've hurt Korra, I've hurt everyone that tried to help me before. I thought I was starting to get better, become normal again, but I was wrong. I'm always wrong. I'm stupid. I'm so_ stupid _!_

The one person who had taken her in, who had given her a room filled with light, who had helped her even at the cost of her own sleep. . . and she had ruined everything with one sentence. One stupid, meaningless, mean-spirited sentence that Ikki wished she could just take back and said something else. Anything else.

She  _knew_ how sensitive Asami was about her father. She  _knew_ how much she will still in pain after Kuv. . . that woman had killed him. She had seen it. She had seen the red that had streaked down that big machine, the shattered machinery that had tumbled down after it. She remembered the day that she overheard Asami crying, mentioning to Korra that "there wasn't a body to burn or bury".

Yet she said something like  _that_ to Asami. The woman who had been so nice, so giving to her.

Her heart began to scream the wails she couldn't muster from her mouth. It was then, the curtain shifted, and a slight crack of light appeared. It blinded Ikki, before she saw the outside.

Vast. Empty.

She paused for little more than an instant, until the calling of the outside beckoned her.

She took a leap of faith, readied her airbending.

And just like that, Ikki was gone.

* * *

"Len! I know you're used to your bending being your crutch, but you've not come here to scavenge for water. Hurry up and gather the items I've listed, alright?"

"But-"

The man glowered. " _Now._ "

As the young student went on his way in haste, the man groaned and ran a hand through his sticky hair, and he shivered. The cold had become worse as the hours passed, and foraging the desert for spare ingredients had become tiresome. Even if he had the luxury of a wheelchair to sit in and not have to feel the burning of tired legs, herb-picking had become more of a chore than it used to be.

His internal musings thwarted at the distant sight of. . .  _something._ The man rubbed his eyes. Blinked a few times. The object in question was still there.

"Not a mirage, then." He murmured. "Dead animal, perhaps?"

He wheeled himself closer. Upon inspection, the object was wearing  _clothes._

"Sweet agni," the hesitant trundle became a hurried wheeling, until he was at the point where he could see clearly what it was laying on the ground.

No supplies in sight, nothing to energize her protection to be noted of, and a face covered in tears. Her clothes were torn and ripped, and she lay on the ground with a flushed face. And only one arm.

The man gently poked her cheek. "Are you awake?"

She didn't stir.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Len! Over here, now!"

The boy ran back over to his teacher in an instant, wincing. "Everything okay, Yuen-sai?" He glanced down on the floor, "oh, spirits, that's Ikki!" Len knelt down to her, "Ikki? Are you alright? Can you hear me?" Len looked up at Yuen-sai in a panic. "Why isn't she responding? She's not dead, is she?"

"Don't be absurd. She's alive." Yuen-sai scoffed, before a brow rose. "You know her?"

Len nodded. "She's the one Teach has been giving the help with."

"The airbender girl? So this is the one he's not shut up about for the past few weeks." Without much deliberation, he tightened the band on his ponytail. "She's passed out from something. Most likely from exhaustion. We need to get her out of the dusty surroundings and get her some airier than here. Len, we'll take her back to the tent, get her fixed up as best as you can. I'll need you to carry her, then get a message to Kesuk and tell him what has happened."

"You want me to get Tuyen as well?"

"That would be best. I'll most likely need an extra pair of hands. Plus it would be better for her to wake up to someone her age, to not alarm her. Hurry up, now."

Len nodded, and hoisted Ikki up onto his back. Yuen-sai glanced at his newest patient. He swore that he could see another tear falling down her cheek. But in heat such as that, it was hard to tell sweat from tears, and anything else that fell.

Either way, her body was suffering.


	11. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In where Ikki gets angry, and Korra and Asami are both tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was intended to be longer, but because I am leaving for my holiday tomorrow, I didn't want to leave you guys that read this with nothing. I'm satisfied with the length of this, and I hope you all like it! It was nice to write this, and I'm sorry if it appears to be cut short-rest assured, next chapter will have a lot of content that you all will enjoy! Hope you like this chapter, though! Please review, and I'll read your responses (or some of them, anyway), when I return!

"I've already told your people-you cannot occupy these lands any further. Your leader stepped down after the Avatar spared her. End this pointless charade of loyalty."

"Master Suki, we are simply here to negotiate terms of occupation. Your people  _consented_ to giving their lands over in the name of the Earth Empire. We wish for the fighting to quell so that there is no more need for bloodshed or injuries."

Suki massaged her temples, as worn down as they were, and put her hands behind her back. Even in her elderly years, her stature commanded respect from Korra, and she couldn't help but feel pride for the woman standing before her. She was someone to be admired, after all.

Three soldiers stood at the front door. One was calm, placid-he was clearly older than the other two, and held an aura of calm about him. Korra assumed he could be reasoned with. Another was younger, barely an adult-a woman in her early twenties, perhaps? Fair skin and green eyes, typical of the Earth Kingdom. She seemed nervous to be in the presence of both Korra and Suki.

It was the other soldier that worried her. His brown eyes screamed anger. His stance was rigid, as if holding back a flame from his fist. Korra couldn't recall such hate.

"Suki is right." Korra spoke up, "it's time for this fighting to end. What do you wish to  _gain_ from all this? Now take your people, take your banners down, and leave the people of Kyoshi Island in  _peace._ "

"Gain?" The soldier at the forefront, the one with the angry eyes, scoffed at her words. "We didn't gain  _anything_ from this. We took our homes  _back_  from rioters, from the people who tore down their homelands like it was nothing for the sake of greed! Where you were when all this was happening, Avatar? The world needed you, and you weren't  _there._ "

Korra clenched her fist. Her throat went dry. "I was  _sick._ "

"Then what good  _are_ you?" He spat, "Kuvira at least stepped up, she helped us when we really needed it! She turned against Suyin Bei Fong to uphold her true beliefs that the Earth Kingdom could be  _better_!"

"By being ruled over a dictator? Kuvira stepped down." Korra stood strong, "I saw a lot of myself in her. I'm not denying the good she did. I'm personally seeing to it that she doesn't get the death penalty, despite a lot of people opposing me otherwise. We're doing all we can to make the Earth Kingdom a stronghold again."

"What makes you think you'll  _ever_ do enough?  _Aang_ didn't do enough, and he was twice the Avatar you'll  _ever_ be!" With that, the soldier stormed out, and Korra had to ignore the fact that his eyes beckoned vexing streams.

Suki turned her attention back to the older of the soldiers. "Hot-blooded young man you have there."

"He's upset over the damage  _their_ kind have caused." The woman spoke up. "We played fair. Your kind didn't."

Without warning, Suki grabbed the woman's arm in a lock and twisted it around until she writhed in pain, a pathetic whimper coming from her lips. "Do not," she hissed, "use the word 'your kind' again in  _my_ presence, young lady. You come into my home, upset  _my_ niece, and wish to barter lands that do not belong to you. We've all got tragedies in our lives, but only the weak use them as a means to hurt others."

"W-We were the ones using our lives to help our nation . . .!" She mewled, clawing at Suki's ironclad grip. The older soldier didn't move to assist her. "J-Jin understands that better than anyone!"

After a moment, Suki's grip faltered, and Korra could see her aged bones wailed in agony. She let go with a lithe flex of her wrist, and put her arms behind her back. "You listen to me. I understand that you wish to help your people. But you went too far when you endangered other people that had  _nothing_ to do with your conflict. I will not be discussing anything with you today. Leave my stronghold, or I'll have my friend here escort you out."

The older soldier nodded and gave a respectful bow, and the female soldier gave chase when he left, protesting at his ease in giving up.

"They've got good intentions, Suki." Korra sat down with one leg propped up to rest her elbow on, and looked out to the specks in the distance. "They just wanted to help their people. At least the older guy seemed to respect your word."

"His daughter is one of my previous students." Suki took another sip of her tea. "Though they haven't spoken for too long since she opposed to him joining the Earth Empire regime, he still respects the fact I taught her to defend herself."

Korra glanced at her own reflection in the piping cup of tea.  _A daughter that opposed her father's ideas for what stability and equality entailed . . . I hope it doesn't end up the same for this relationship as it did for another person that I know._

"You've got that distant look in your eye again, Korra." Suki placed her hand over Korra's.

"Oh, sorry, I was just . . . it's nothing." She shrugged it off, "I just hope Ikki is okay. She's not been well, Suki. Even with the injury, she just reminds me of how I was. Of how I still am."

"I know she hasn't been well. She's exactly like how my Sokka was after the war ended." Suki's expression softened. "Perhaps not exactly, he always found something for that mind of his to focus on to escape from the pain, but it caught up with him at times. Every night he experienced  _terrible_ nightmares, Korra. I worried for him."

"Was there anything he did that could help Ikki cope?"

"Aside from the obvious?" Suki chuckled, though it was a hollow ring. "It was difficult, but he eventually opened up. I think talking about his feelings helped a great deal. But if there was a way to make life easier for him and others, he'd take it. I see a lot of that in Ikki. She loves to help people, you know?"

Korra grinned, " _everyone_ knows that. She's even started reading a bunch of Asami's engineering books. She told me she's really interested in learning how to fix things! I'm not sure how Tenzin will react to that, but I've never seen her so passionate about something other than her culture."

"So much like my Sokka . . .." Suki sighed, and Korra didn't mistake the fond longing in her eyes, even when she turned her head to look at Korra again. "Ikki needs something to focus on. And about that arm that Asami has been making for her. Will it truly hurt that much to have it placed on her?"

Korra's shoulders sank. "Yeah. Asami's a fantastic engineer, but she can't take away all the pain."

"Then if Ikki really wants to go through this, she'll have to brave it."

Korra's brow rose. "No words that Asami could do better?"

Suki shook her head. "We're talking about re-wiring a prosthetic arm to move at someone's will _,_ Korra. Even I know that will be no easy feat, even for such a talented mind like Asami's."

Korra rested her chin on her hand. "Ugh!" She groaned, "Master of all four Elements, but I can't think of one way to do all that mechanical . . . stuff that she does? I mean, she rambles about it all the time. Why can't I ever just absorb it?"

Suki chuckled. "Perhaps because your mind is focused elsewhere?"

Korra flushed and scratched under her chin. "N-Now isn't the time for that sort of thing, Suki." Rubbing the back of her neck, she then glanced out the window, toward the beached ships and village settlements. "How many Earth Empire soldiers are still here?"

"It's not just soldiers. Their families are here as well."

"Huh?"

Suki stood up and picked a peach off of the wilting blossom tree. "I've been on this island a long time, Korra. We've never turned refugees away to face the waters alone. But this situation has them divided. Many sought refuge here, and many of them supported Kuvira. Even I wasn't completely against her, at first. Now we barter over sand and wood like they were soil and trees. It wasn't like this back in my day. Of course, Zuko also burned down my village in the old days, so maybe I shouldn't use nostalgia as a means to be superior, but it just seemed so  _simple_ back then."

Korra tapped on the table, before she stood up. Suki didn't spare a backward glance.

"Maybe I can do something," Korra took a deep breath, "I convinced Kuvira to step down. Maybe there's a way for this to end without anymore people getting hurt. Aang never removed the Fire Nation colonies from the various nation settlements, right?"

"It caused a lot of controversy, but that is correct."

"Then why should this be treated any different? They all want what is best for their nation." Korra gritted her teeth. "I can't rush into this blind. I need to talk with both sides. But I can't delay either."

Suki made a gentle grip on Korra's wrist. "Before you go, Korra, I'd like you to have these." In the binder, in her other hand, held all of Sokka's workings. The ones scattered over the ground and neglected when Asami shielded Ikki from her manic memories. They were now neatly tided up, wrapped up like a gift.

Korra stared in shock. "Do you want them back at some point? I understand if it's-"

Suki laughed a little. "I'm getting old, Korra. It's time I let a few of these things go. They're just his ideas that never saw the light of day. I'm being selfish if I hoard them all for myself."

With shaky hands, Korra took them into her grip, before placing them in her pack. "I'll keep them safe. But I'll be going now, Suki, to see if I can put an end to this sad story. Kyoshi Island was a home of an Avatar, one that was like Kuvira in her methods. It's time I put an end to this."

"You'll be checking on Ikki after you're done, I assume?"

"I'll see Ikki and Asami later on. For now, I . . .." Korra smiled, her face weary, "I need to be the Avatar. Being Korra can wait a little while longer."

* * *

Pungent smells of herbs wafted past her sensors, her nose twitched, and Ikki slowly opened her eyes.

For a while, she didn't move. All she did was turn her head, eyes half-lidded and clouded with confusion as she took in her surroundings. Instead of a vast desert, she was in a place with a table and chair and smelled like the kitchens of Air Temple Island. The smell made her nose and eyes sting, and she found her throat screaming for water.

Then, she shot up. Her eyes darted around, wide and scared, and she ran a hand through her hair. Where  _was_ she?

"Ah, you're awake. Glad to see that." Ikki stared at the man in the wheelchair that slowly came around near her bedside. Her gaze never left his face, and she saw him sigh. "A little apprehensive?"

"I-" She began to cough, surprised at how  _rough_ her throat was. She stopped when a mug full of a piping hot green liquid was held out for her.

"Go on, drink it. It'll help with the pain."

A few seconds of a trembling hand, and Ikki took the mug from his hand, and chugged it down. She winced at how bitter it was. She spat a bit out, pursing her lips.

"None of that, now," the man in the wheelchair scolded, "make sure that you drink all of it. Medicine isn't always going to taste of freshly-grown vegetables."

Ikki paused, before glugging the rest of the drink down her throat in one-go, shuddering from the bitter-aftertaste. A little sugar wouldn't have been a bad addition, would it?

"Good." He smiled and took the cup from her. "To be honest, I was surprised to see someone so far out in the desert at that hour. I initially took it for heatstroke." He had wheeled himself over to the small basin and cranked up the wheelchair to gain more height. Ikki watched with a blank expression as he rinsed the mug out, as well as a pestle and mortar. "Should have known it would have been exhaustion. I'm more susceptible to heat than most people."

"Who . . . are you?" Ikki asked, dangling her legs from the cot.

"Hm?" His green eyes glanced over at her, and then he chuckled. "Forgive me, I tend to ramble. My name is Yuen-sai."

Ikki scratched her chin. "I know that name . . .." She then gasped, "wait, I know you! You're Mister Kesuk's husband!"

Yuen-sai choked on his breath, and ran a hand through his greying hair. "He  _cannot_ stop flaunting that fact around, can he? Let me guess, he shared the story of how we met, too." Ikki nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. Yuen-sai grunted as his cheeks flushed a little. "That man is nothing short of an idiot. He's done that to  _every_ student he's ever met.

"He sounded like he really loves you, though." Ikki pointed out, opting not to walk over to him case she fell due to her weakened legs. Running on air-rollers for miles whilst in emotional agony didn't help matters much. In her case, at least. "Why are you so embarrassed by that?"

Surprisingly, Yuen-sai's embarrassment turned into a light laugh. "When you've known him as long as I have, those endearing qualities can grow . . . tiresome. Don't think I'm embarrassed by it." Grabbing the now dry pestle and mortar, he began to crush a thin-leaved green herb down into smaller pieces. Ikki watched him with little fascination.

She then glanced down at her legs, and clenched her fist in her lap. "Does Mister Kesuk know I'm here?"

The sounds of grinding herbs ceased momentarily. "Len is on his way to deliver a message. However, you won't have to have visitors unless you wish to see anyone." He went a few seconds without speaking, then said, "is there something on your mind?"

The thought of sharing what she had said, what she had  _done_ to upset Asami after all she had done for her, was mortifying. The false smile on Asami's face, the tired look etched in her eyes . . . that had all been her fault. It were as if there were two voices in her head, and the one garbed in bad thoughts always prevailed over the apologetic little girl that screamed in silence. It broke her heart to think about, but nothing had really made sense since the accident.

"Mister Kesuk once said things to you that hurt." Ikki's voice began to waver, "did it make you sad?"

She was too scared to look at Yuen-sai in the eyes. "I suppose it did at the time. It took a long time for me to fall in love with him. As for how sorry he was, that was plain to see. But it depends who said what, and what led to it. Did you say something you regret?"

"Mm-hm." She murmured, shoulders shaking as she curled up into a ball.

"To someone you care about?" He guessed.

"Mm-hm . . .." Ikki sniffed, and it down on her lip so hard it began to bleed.

A warm hand placed itself on her right stump, making her almost jump out of her skin and dissolve into the air. She peered up at Yuen-sai through a teary veil, and was shocked to see him  _concerned._

"What did you say?"

Ikki swallowed down any fear of speaking. "I-I . . . Asami was trying to help me, and I said something that hurt her. I wasn't thinking when I said it, and she still said it wasn't my fault. Maybe it wasn't completely my fault, but I still want to show her I'm sorry. She's . . . she's family. I don't like hurting . . . family."

Brown eyes. Bobbed hair. Arrows adorning the skin.  _I hurt her too._

"Hurting those closest to us can hurt more than any injury."

"I wish it didn't." Ikki closed her eyes, and sighed softly. Yuen-sai's hand never left her shoulder.

* * *

"Tenzin-I don't-I'm  _sorry._ The last thing I knew was that she was in her room in the airship."

_"Why weren't you keeping an eye on her? You left her **crying** Asami! Why would you leave a little girl to cry on her own? You know how fragile her mental state is. I appreciate all you've done for her, but if you can't cope with one small comment like that, then I don't think it's a good idea for her to keep staying with you."_

"No, no-Tenzin, that's not fair. It was one comment,  _one_ comment that made me need a little distance, and she knew it was wrong. We'll find her. I've got people looking all over the city, a-and I'm doing my best to locate her at this very minute! I let you know because as her father it was your  _right_ to know. I don't need a lecture from you now."

_"And if one little comment is all it takes for her to run away, then how do we know she won't do something more destructive next time?"_

"What, like slam her sister into the wall in frustration?"

_"Don't you dare bring that up as a weapon against me. I trusted you with my daughter's well-being. It's evident from this that her place is back home with her family._ _"_

"You can't just decide everything for her, Tenzin! You hardly visited her when she was  _living_ with you! Do you think she needs any more distance? She's been doing well here. There will be slip-ups. It's been five months, Tenzin, you can't just force her to come back with you! You can't-"

_"Asami. She is not your child. She is not your sister. Ikki will be coming home as soon as you find her. Thank-you for all your efforts up until this point. I do appreciate it. Goodbye."_

"Tenzin-"

**_"If you would like to make a call, please dial in your area code so an operator can patch you through to the desired areas."_ **

**_..._ **

"Well done, Sato. You've messed up  _again._ "

* * *

"What am I supposed to do now?"

Though she still remained on the bed, Ikki watched with the eyes of a hawk as Yuen-sai continued to move around the tent with ease, cranking up his wheelchair whenever he required height, opening up small compartments at the side whenever he needed another tool. It was like he carried around a toolbox of his own in one chair, and it was fascinating to watch. Had Asami designed something like this? She  _had_ been the one to make Korra's wheelchair.

Her heart clenched.  _Asami._

What she had said to her, how Asami had reacted . . . would she ever want to see her again? Would she ever smile at her again? It hurt to think about. It made her head all fuzzy and it made her throat taste nasty. She didn't like that.

Yuen-sai bore her no glance. He didn't even shrug. "That's up to you, child. You can wait for Kesuk to arrive here if you will. I won't force you to see anyone, however. But you are my patient, and I won't let you leave yet because of some childish runaway _._ "

Ikki felt her face flush. "I-I didn't run away because I was being childish! I'm not a little kid! I ran away because I hurt someone, and it was better I didn't stay. That's not being childish. That's being  _smart._ "

"So it's smart to run from your mistakes, is it?" Yuen-sai pivoted around to face her, and held his chin in his palm. "Such wise words from the mouth of a child. Didn't your Grandfather also run from his mistakes? Look where that got the world. Another war. A long, brutal one."

Ikki's face grew pale, and she frowned. Her brows furrowed, her gaze steeled.  _Nobody_ insulted her family like that. "Don't talk about him that way. You have no idea what being the Avatar is like."

"Neither do you. Does that mean they get a free pass in fleeing whenever they need to "find" themselves?"

"Don't  _talk_ about my Grandpa Aang that way!" Ikki shot up onto her feet, clenching her teeth, "yes, he ran away. Yes, it was stupid. But he was  _scared!_ It's not a bad thing to say you're scared! He made mistakes, and it wasn't right, but he tried his best to help people! He lost all his people and didn't even  _know_ about it! And everyone expected him to be all happy and healthy and help people. Everyone wanted him to go back to the way he was! Gran-Gran understood, Uncle Sokka understood, but nobody else tried to understand him! There was way more to him than being the Avatar!"

Yuen-sai wasn't even moved by her speech. Even though she huffed and wiped the sweat and anger from her forehead. Even if the entire ordeal had dented the frown lines that had long since been ironed out. "Would you defend him if you did not know the costs of war?"

Ikki refused to look him in the eye, and her brows creased her skin. "Who cares? That doesn't matter."

His eyes narrowed. "You feel no pain at all? Some of your words to defend him related to yourself, did they not?"

She clenched her fist. "Why would you care?"

"Why would I not?"

"You just . . . said all that stuff. About my Grandpa Aang." She ran a hand through her messy hair. It felt greasy to the touch, and she grimaced. "You seemed so nice to me earlier. Why are you being so confusing now? Why aren't you just speaking simply? You were nice, then you say all that stuff about my Grandpa making mistakes and that he was his fault for making a mistake. Make  _sense!_ Say I'm bothering you. Say something that isn't more  _questions._ " She hissed.

Yuen-sai wheeled a little closer to her. Ikki didn't look at his face. She couldn't read it like she could other faces. She didn't like that.

"I'm sorry if I insulted your lineage. I thought it would help you relate to your own running away from past mistakes. My wording wasn't . . .." He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "I lack the tact for talking to children about such issues. That's Kesuk's area of expertise."

Ikki peered around at him. A small, awkward smile was on his face. Her tense shoulders relaxed, and she sat back down on the cot, refusing to move her gaze from the floor.

"No, I shouldn't have been so snappy. But sometimes my head hurts and I say things that come out wrong and I . . . don't know how to say sorry in time before it hurts someone else."

The herbalist closed his eyes, and put his hand on her shoulder again. When she looked up at him, he was smiling. Awkwardly.  _He doesn't really know how to talk to me, does he?_

"It hurts you."

Ikki nodded. "Yeah."

"People do their best to help you, but you think they don't understand what you're going through."

She nodded again. "Mm."

"All you want is to prove to people that you don't need to be coddled."

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Does it ever get any easier? To cope with it all, I mean."

Yuen-sai shook his head. "I'm afraid not, child. But  _you_ get better."

"How do I do that?"

"The road you walk is up to you. But so long as you know that getting better is possible, it can be any path you wish."

A small smile quirked at her lips, and she placed her hand on top of Yuen-sai's. "You're not that bad when talking to kids when you think how to do it properly, you know. I think you'd be a good Dad. You just need to be less critical toward people."

For a moment, Yuen-sai blushed. "You  _and_ Kesuk now? The amount of people that say that to me utterly astounds me . . .."

Content silence spread it's magic across the room for a few blissful moments, and Ikki revelled in the calm. Despite her hyperactive tendencies of the past, she knew how to appreciate the quieter moments that comfortability brought between two people. His words may have been harsh before, but they shed some light. Made the black and white become more grey, just like the colour of her eyes, and she liked that things didn't appear so simple at the moment. It made sure she could fit somewhere between getting better and not being the way she was before. That she could eventually accept that she wouldn't  _have_ to hope to be exactly like she was.

But curiosity nagged at her to speak, and she did.

"Are there any herbal . . . things that can help someone sleep better?" Ikki asked.

"Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Ikki shook her head. "No, but someone in my family never sleeps. She lost her Dad recently, and I . . . I think she doesn't like to sleep because she remembers it too well. Is there anything that stops bad dreams?"

Yuen-sai took his hand off of her shoulder to cup her chin. "Perhaps a regular routine of chamomile tea, infused with a little peppermint. Is she a regular tea drinker?"

"She drinks a lot of it with me when we look at her books. I think she only drinks it because I like it so much."

He smiled. "I'll give you a small batch to take back with you. But tell her what you're doing, alright? She may have an allergy. If she does, there's always it for yourself."

As he sauntered off to prepare the tea, Ikki lay back down on the cot, and closed her eyes.

_If I can help her, maybe she'll forgive me. But for now, I . . . need to focus on other things._

"Yuen-sai, do you need any help with it?"


	12. Possible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzin is a father. Asami reminds him of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW! Man, I loved this chapter. I truly did. There are going to be notes down at the bottom, and I really hope you all enjoy this! It's come to my attention that this story is slightly lacking in reviews per chapter. I don't really want to be one of those people who go "REVIEW MY STORY OR I WON'T UPDATE", because believe me, I'm happy with the ones I get. However, having such little feedback is slightly distressing, as I'm not sure what people like or dislike in my story-whether or not I'm getting the themes right or wrong. So yeah, that's kind of my dilemma. Nonetheless, I shall still write this story, as I have grown to adore it as much as any other!

"To make the concoction now, all we need to do is crush these here, and add in a little lemongrass for an additional effect, and it's completed. Of course, the patient will have to boil it into a tea first, in order to ingest, but do you understand?"

The ingredients were laid bare on the table, and as Yuen-sai continued crushing the herbs with the pestle into the mortar, Ikki's intense gaze studied his every movement. "How do you know what herb does which?"

"Studied it, mostly." He stuck a pencil in his mouth as he then put the crushed herbs into a small pouch and sealed it up, "grew up at my Aunt's house. We didn't have much in the way of medicine, so she made do with herbs. Some of it grew on me-literally-so I went into the trade." He glanced over at her, "Kesuk didn't tell you?"

Ikki shook her head. "He only told me how you two met. He also said you were, uh . . ." She cupped her chin, "a self-righteous darling."

Yuen-sai choked and thumped on his chest. "He seriously used the word  _darling_ to describe me _?_ That idi- _Kesuk."_ Scratching his chin, Ikki had to restrain a giggle as a flush appeared on the herbalist's cheeks. "Well. At least he got the 'self-righteous' part down."

The two continued in companionable silence for a few moments, passing and taking the herbs, and Ikki watching as Yuen-sai recorded his daily work with his chicken-scratch way of writing. When Ikki asked questions, he would sigh and groan, but he complied with her requests of help all the same.

 _He acts all tough,_ Ikki thought to herself,  _but he's not that bad._

"Right, that should finish up here." He finally put down the worn pencil, and tied his hair back. "Is there . . . anything you want?" Ikki looked up at him in surprise. He looked slightly awkward in posture, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tea, maybe?"

"Oh, no thank-you." Ikki paused, "um, Yuen-sai?"

"Mm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Is it more on herbology? I do have a book on it somewhere if you'd like to take it home."

Ikki shook her head. "No, it's not that. It's . . . well, it's something else."

"Oh." Yuen-sai set down the book he'd gotten from his desk, and pivoted around to face the girl. "And you're afraid it'll upset me if you ask."

"H-How did-?"

"No time for that." He waved his hand, as if to air away her mundane questions (which weren't so mundane in her head. "What is it?"

Her line of sight went to her lap. "Everything is messy at the moment. I hurt my friend, Asami, and I've probably hurt more people by making them worry about me after I ran away." She gripped the table in her hand until her knuckles turned as white as ice. "But that's not what I'm worried about. I-I mean, I  _am_ worried about it, but there's something else."

Yuen-sai said nothing as a reply as she peered up at him. Ikki wasn't able to read the expression on his face, and a hot flush spread to her ears. She swallowed the fear and continued her story. "My Dad hasn't really spoken to me since the accident. He looks at me and leaves. I think it's because of this." She gestured to her stump. "Has anything like that ever happened to you?"

The ringing in her ears began to blur her vision, and she felt her neck grow hot and her scars itch from the prickling heat. Any bravery she had to face Yuen-sai had gone with the shaky breaths from her lips.

_I shouldn't have asked. I shouldn't have even bothered. What was the point in asking him in the first place? Not every person not normal is the same as me, I-I've messed everything up again-_

"Calm down. You're hyperventilating."

He had wheeled himself to her side and was holding her shoulders. All his speech was wispy, or maybe that was just her head being fuzzy. It wasn't so clear. Not clear. At all.

Or was it?

_Focus, focus . . ._

"Did I say something wrong?" She whispered.

"No. You asked a question because you thought it would help you. You didn't say anything wrong."

"I've been saying so many things to hurt people. I don't like it."

"We never do, Ikki."

"I hurt Asami."

"I know."

"I hurt my friends and family."

"I know."

"I hurt  _Jinora."_

"I know."

"I-I hurt my  _Dad."_

His hands were warm as he rubbed her back. Everything began to get clearer. She could tell what the colour of the floor was again. Ikki sniffed and wiped her eyes. Yuen-sai still held her steady.

Eventually, the warmth left her back as he leaned down to look her in the eyes. Around them, they were rimmed red, and her lips pouted childishly. Yuen-sai took her hand in his, and he smiled at her. Ikki liked his smile. He reminded her of her father, in a way.

"Something like that has happened to me."

"Huh?" She tilted her head.

"I have been hurt in such a way. Would you like me to tell you about it? Would it make you feel better to hear my story?"

Ikki nodded. Yuen-sai smiled at her, and reached behind him, pulling out a blanket and putting it around her shoulders. It felt so  _warm._

He told her about his life with his aunt, how she had took him in after his mother and father refused to raise him because he couldn't walk, and they were farmers. "What good was a son if he couldn't work for them?" He had repeated his mother's words from so many years ago. She saw his eyes cloud when he said that. Yuen-sai remembered. He described how his aunt was an older woman: caring, but withered. She taught him everything she could about herbs, and then some. He told her about how her favourite flower was lavender, and how her clothes always held the scent, even if she hadn't worn them for years.

He described the day she died. It was winter, cold. The embers began to die, and the smoke rose up into the ashy skies. He was fixing up a cup of tea for her when he was fifteen. They lived on their own, in that small village, and the snow howled on outside. She didn't look at him much those days. She would stare out the window, with vacant eyes and distant sighs.

Yuen-sai had wheeled over to her and put the cup next to her hand, and her fingers barely twitched. he waved his hand in front of her a few times, and she blinked. He was relieved when she did that. Ikki thought it was because he knew she was still alive.

Then, he told her he dropped the mug. Because his aunt, for the first time in months, gazed at him straight in the eye.

"Her eyes contained the stars."

Little wisps of light appeared in her dark blue eyes, and he was reminded of the woman who had taken him into her arms at the tender age of three. The woman that had raised him and kept him warm. Her eyes contained the night, and he knew right then (or, Ikki reckoned, a few seconds after right then), they would never see dawn again. Her final venture was then.

"She smiled at me, and left."

Ikki covered her mouth with her hand. "My Aunt hardly ever looked at me in those final few months she had, until then. She knew it was her time was coming, and she delayed it because she knew I wouldn't cope without her. The guilt was consuming her. People don't look where they've failed."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

She conjured up a small breeze in her hand, and the aroma of lavender spread throughout the tent. For a second, she could have sworn Yuen-sai teared up.

"Do you miss her?"

"Everyday." He saw what she did with her airbending. "Thank-you."

Ikki smiled at him, and placed her hand over his. "I like to help people. Maybe I've hurt people lately, but I . . . I understand what I should do now, to make it all better. Or as close to 'better' as I can make it. I need to talk to Asami. Jinora. My Dad.  _Everyone._ "

"So you're going to be leaving, then?"

Ikki shook her head. "Not yet. I want to help. Anyway I can."

Yuen-sai's eyes widened. He blinked, and then chuckled. "Look at you."

"Huh?"

"You're glowing with the light of day and you don't even know it."

Ikki whipped her head around to glance at herself. In the reflection of the water basin, in her own line of sight. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "But there's not much sunlight in here. How am I glowing?"

Yuen-sai shook his head. "Ah, never you mind. But I need you to listen to me, here." He put his hands on Ikki's shoulders. "You're a good girl, Ikki. What you've been through, what you've done, it's not going to be easy."

Ikki didn't hesitate anymore. "Everyone always says that. At first, I wanted it to be easy. I wanted everything better right away. I know it's not going to be easy, now. My head is still fuzzy, I still don't like big buildings that have cracks in them, and I still get bad dreams about when I lost my arm. It hurts and then it doesn't hurt, but I know now. Nothing is going to be easy."

"Then?"

"But that's just it, isn't it? I don't need easy. I just need  _possible_."  **[1]**

Yuen-sai placed a hand to her cheek, and she returned it in kind when her hand covered his. "That's right. Just keep that in mind. Always keep that in mind."

Ikki nodded. "I  _can_  do it, can't I?"

"Don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't."

"You proved them wrong, didn't you?"

"I  _keep_ proving them wrong."

The sunlight crawled in through the entrance of the tent, and for a moment, Ikki knew that  _both_ of them glowed in it's light.

"Ikki!"

The two of them turned toward the doorway. Tuyen stood with Kesuk at the entrance, her hands folded over her heart and her eyes filled with tears. Kesuk simply folded his arms, and with hair messed up and bags under his eyes, he winked at her.

All of a sudden, Ikki found herself enveloped in the warm of Tuyen's arms as she rushed over and embraced her, and felt the girl sobbing into her shoulder. Rants of worry and relief came through in incoherent mumbles.

"We were so  _worried_ about you! What were you thinking, running away without telling anyone? We've been worried sick! Don't do that again, you hear me? If you need to talk, cry-we're  _here_ for you. But don't run away. Don't go where we can't follow!"

Ikki was stunned by the hug momentarily. But eventually, she melted into it. She put her arm around the small of Tuyen's back, and rubbed to comfort.

"I'm sorry. I'm so  _sorry._ " She hushed her with a quiet tone, "but please don't worry right now. I'm not going to do this again. I promise, I  _promise,_ I'll do my best not to hurt you again. I'm sorry, Tuyen, I'm sorry . . .."

She cried.

"I'm sorry. I'll do my best not to hurt you like this again. I promise. I  _promise."_

* * *

"We've got word. Ikki's safe. She's at Kesuk's husband's clinic."

"Thank the spirits for that."

Asami folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "Tenzin, I appreciate you coming all the way out here, but I still think you should wait to hear what Ikki wants."

Adorned in a red cloak, Tenzin stood up straight. "She is a child, Asami. I won't have her idea of 'fun' clouding what she really needs right now."

"She  _fought_ with you against Kuvira! Remember? You bring her to a battlefield to potentially risk her life, and that's all fine and good, but when she decides how she wants to recover, you don't give her a choice?"

Tenzin sighed. "I didn't bring her willingly. She and Meelo snuck behind ranks. I told them to go with their mother to evacuate the citizens."

Asami blinked. "Well, then . . . I'm sorry for snapping. But my point still stands, Tenzin. You can't just decide what's best for her without consulting her first."

"Ikki has always been a stubborn girl." Tenzin sat back down, and held his head in his hand. "Once she finds something she likes, she'll stick at it despite any danger. She can be incredibly reckless. One-track mind, I think Pema described her as. I'm bringing her back to the temple so she can recover. I'm not doing it out of spite."

"I  _know_ that." Asami knelt down in front of him "I do. But locking her away is what made her depressed in the first place."

"She locked  _herself_ away."

"Did you ever even visit her?"

Tenzin was unusually silent. Asami ran a hand through her hair.

"Of course you didn't. You didn't even speak to her until she knocked Jinora to the wall. I know how much you care for your kids, Tenzin,  _believe_ me. I do. But ignoring her made her feel worse. I've seen it."

Tenzin gritted his teeth. Asami heard the grinding from where she was. "How can you take her back if you won't even look at her?"

"Because I am her father. She belongs with her family."

" _Ugh!"_ Asami stood up and raked her hands through her hair, "what is  _with_ airbenders and stubbornness? Tenzin, you can't-this is wrong and you know it! You don't even  _listen_ to your daughter and what  _she_ wants. It's like what Bumi said-you want her to get better the way  _you_ know how, because you think your way is the right way!"

"You are not her mother, Asami. Don't allow your affection for her to cloud your judgement-"

" _Stop_ that." She hissed. "You took me in after everything that happened with my father. I will always thank you for that. But I don't give a  _damn_ about what you think is right, Tenzin. I care about what Ikki needs. And you will not take her unless she wants to go. I won't  _let_ you."

Tenzin stood up to match her. "Asami."

"What? You want me to stay back and watch as you potentially destroy her again, after all the progress she's made with me? You want me to stand back and watch as you come back into her life and mess it all up?"

Tenzin's brow rose, "Asami, I think you need to calm-"

Asami didn't even look at him. Her eyes were fixated on her clenched gloved fists. "What right do you have, to just waltz back in here and just take everything away again? After so long, you'd really make it hurt all over again to fulfill your own agenda?"

"You're getting hysterical, Asami, please, try to calm yourself down-" As Tenzin placed a hand on her shoulder, she flinched away.

"Don't touch me, Dad!"

Asami froze as the title left her lips. Her limbs went rigid. Her mouth hung agape.

"I-I . . ." She began to regain control of her body again, and she huddled into herself. "I didn't mean-I-I mean, I'm sorry, I wasn't . . .."

When Tenzin took a step forward, she backed away. She faced toward the floor, and despite herself, Asami began to shake minutely. His face was unreadable. There were mixes of pity, sorrow, anger? Maybe sympathy? She couldn't tell.

"You-"

"I-I'll talk to you later!"

With that, Asami fled. Down she went past the stairs of the airship, past the alienage and the students of Kesuk's class training independently, and she ran until the backgrounds blurred and she could no longer feel the raw ground against her bare feet.

Asami barely ran from anything. Most things, she would face head on.

Not this.

 _Not_ this.

She needed to think. Even as she keeled over from running, even if her face was flushed with mortification. She sat underneath a tree, head in her hands, and allowed her mind to race.

_I can't do this anymore. It's too much. Too much._

* * *

"What? My Dad is here?"

After leaving Yuen-sai to his clinic (after a flustered goodbye after Kesuk had kissed him), Kesuk and Tuyen had began to take Ikki back to the clinic on their ostrich-pulled cart. She sat at the back with the rest of the boxed rations, her arm resting on her knee. The cart was filled with herbal goods to be taken back to the alienage, and Ikki had a strong suspicion that Kesuk took these rounds just to steal moments with Yuen-sai in the clinic. Being a teacher and a herbalist left scarce times for intimacy, she had reasoned.

Tuyen turned back and nodded. "Yeah. He came here on his bison. Oogi, I think the name was? He told us all that he was here to pick you up and take you back home."

Ikki bit her bottom lip. "Was Asami okay?"

"Nobody knows." Tuyen looked back at the road for a few seconds, then regarded Ikki again. "She hasn't left the airship since you went missing yesterday. She's contacted everyone she knew to try and find you."

"She didn't come with you?"

"She's talking to your father." Kesuk cut in, "Miss Sato asked me to go instead."

_Asami's talking to my Dad? Well, I guess everything will be okay. No, Dad is stubborn. He won't leave until he takes me back to Air Temple Island. But Asami is stubborn too._

"Did my Dad bring anyone else?"

Kesuk mulled it over. "It looked like he was alone."

"Really? He didn't bring my Mom?"  **[2]**

Tuyen shook her head. "He was alone on his bison. There wasn't anyone else with him."

 _My Dad was on his own? Without anyone else to . . . look at me?_ Ikki glanced out at the track ahead. Open space, nowhere to bump into.

Shakily, she stood up in the back of the cart.

Tuyen craned her head around. "Ikki, what are you doing?"

"Using my airbending. I need to talk to my Dad and I need to do it fast!"

"What? No!" She protested. "Ikki, don't run off again!"

Ikki rolled her eyes, "I'm not running  _away,_ I'm running  _to_!"

Tuyen swivelled around and grabbed her arm. Kesuk scrambled for the other reign, gritting his teeth "hey! If you're going to let go, how about a little warning next time?"

"I'm not letting you run away on your own again. Not when I can stop you."

"But I'm not-" Ikki groaned. She wouldn't believe her with just words alone. "Right. Okay. Tuyen, how good would you say you are you at holding onto people?"

"Huh?"

Ikki held out her hand. "Come with me. If you're that worried about me, then come with me. We can see my Dad together, see if I can convince him not to take me away from here. I promise I won't run away again."

Kesuk's face twisted. "Hold on a minute, I need  _two_  people to drive this thing. Tuyen, Ikki, the two of you can't just-!"

"I can go on your back? Would that even be safe, Ikki?"

"Yeah. I've carried people before. You'll just have to hold on."

" _Are you two kids even listening to me?!"_

Tuyen glanced to the side, then put a hand on Ikki's shoulder. "Are you sure this will work?"

Ikki grinned up at her. Tuyen gulped. "Only one way to find out!"

"Ikki _iiAH!"_

Her air-rollers readied, Ikki felt the desperate clutch that Tuyen had on her, and though she was a little heavy, she sped on with her laughter echoing around the vast space.

They were but a mere speck in the distance in no time at all.

Kesuk sighed. " _Kids."_

* * *

"Hello? You have reached the threshold of the Bei Fong bloodline. Please, state your intent of the identity of the person you seek to converse with, and thus, you might be in with a chance of conversing with-"

"Bolin, it's Korra."

"Korra! It's been ages! How are you? Is everything okay at Republic City?"

"Everything's fine, Bo. For the most part."

"Is everything alright? You need me to come down and give you a hug?"

"As tempting as that is, Bo, no. I do need to ask you something about when you worked for Kuvira, though."

"Uh. Am I in trouble?"

"What? No! Stop worrying your head about that. Did you ever work on Kyoshi Island? Or do you know someone who did?"

"Kyoshi Island? I never  _personally_ went there by myself, but it was one agni of a battle! I heard it took Kuvira-this was after-four weeks to get them to sign over. She personally went there and led the campaign. She met a  _lot_ of opposition. Why? Are they still occupying over there?"

"Yeah. Suki's not been too happy about it. Appar-"

"YOU MET SUKI?!"

"Bo. Not the time."

"Ah, sorry. Continue, please."

"As I was saying, Suki's not been too happy. She still earns a lot of respect in Kyoshi Island, and this extends over to the leftovers of the Earth Empire. They're pocket bands, really, but they still won't attack as long as she's not giving in. But it's causing a lot of tension between the supporters and the opposers."

"I'm not surprised."

"Really? Did something happen?"

"Yeah. A lot of the soldiers that are on there-I think-are made up of refugees that Kyoshi Island turned away."

"What? Why did they turn them away?"

"It was after the war ended. Kyoshi Island was in shambles. They had to turn a lot of families away, and they grew up in poorer areas of the Earth Kingdom. A lot of families resented that. The poverty we found them in was . . . it made what me and Mako grew up in look  _rich._ "

"Damn . . .."

"Yeah. It wasn't a nice sight. There's been a lot of tension ever since."

"I guess Aang didn't make everything perfect after the war."

"Recovery always took time, Korra. You know that better than anyone."

"I know."

"By the way, how's Ikki? Is she doing better?"

"Better, in a way. She'll get there."

"Good. She's a good kid."

"She's  _great._ "

"We all know that. Wasn't Asami making an arm for her? How is she after what happened to Hiroshi?"

"I . . . I don't know, Bo. She says she's fine, but it-she's still in pain over it. She's distracting herself. Aside from that, though, she's doing better than she was a few months ago. She and Ikki are both doing alright."

"I'll be down to see her soon. Promise you that."

"Good. She could use the friends, I think."

"And Mako? How . . . do you how he's doing? I've been meaning to come back down to the city and visit, but Zao Fu, we need-"

"Bo, Mako understood why you had to leave. You owe a lot to Zao Fu, and they're giving you the chance to mend the city. We know you left because you needed to help Opal."  **[3]**

"I know, I just-"

"He's doing good. His arm is healing. Might not be able to go back to being a detective for a good few months. Wu keeps visiting him, and it's sort of annoying him. Bah, he likes getting all that attention, even if he's an awkward turtleduck."

"That guy is  _still_ with him?"

"Yeah. Oh, you want to hear some news?"

"What what?!"

"I  _think_ Mako's got a crush on someone."

"It's not-"

"Not Wu."

" _Thank Agni._ But if not Wu, then who-?"

"Well, there's this person at his work. Not sure their name, but it's this Operator he works with when giving announcements. I think he said their name was Harumi? Anyway, he get's all flustered when you mention them being a 'thing', or something like that."  **[4]**

"Well, there's something to tease him about when I come back! Hey, just curious, but are you alright with that?"

"What?"

"Him . . . y'know. Moving on. I know you have, pretty much, but you and Mako were a thing for a long time. Are you okay with that?"

"Bo, it's been three years. I'll always love Mako as a friend, don't get me wrong, but him and me . . . didn't work well as a couple under too much pressure. I wonder about what could have been if we hadn't broken up, sometimes, but I like things as they are now."

"As long as you're both happy, Korra? I'm glad. Great! Great's a much better word, don't you agree, dear Avatar?"

"Plenty, Hero of the South. Now, when you're next in the city. We need plans. Noodles? Bet I can beat you in eating the most.  _Again._ "

" _You're on, Avatar._ "

* * *

"Tuyen. You can let go of me now. We're not moving."

With a delayed response, Ikki prised Tuyen's talons from her grip, each finger more stiff than the last. Tuyen's face was frozen in an awkward expression of fear: eyes wide and teeth clenched. Ikki blinked, before patting her on the head and laughing a little.

"Okay, Tuyen, I'm going to go find Asami and my Dad. You can wait out here and . . . just stare like that, I suppose? I'll see you in a minute or so."

A muffled grunt was her answer. Ikki only giggled, before she turned away from Tuyen, and took the slow walk up the metal stairs. She opted not to hang on to the railing, instead keeping her physical arm by her side, and her phantom arm leading her to where her father was.

The airship was darker than usual.  _The repairs must be finished,_ Ikki reasoned, poking her head in each room to try and find Asami and Tenzin. Nothing.  _Odd. I can't find them anywhere. They might be in Asami's office, but it's all cluttered with paper in there. And coffee flasks._

"Asami?" Ikki called out. She then added, with a whisper, "Dad?"

She heard a shift from the other side of the airship. Strings of sound rotated around her head, and she pivoted on her heel, and marched down the corridor. "Asami! Dad! I'm back! Where are you?" Her march broke out into a run.

The metal clanged against her feet-cold, winding, all the same colour-and she felt her lungs scream as she ran on. The door began to shake in her vision, the one she was aiming for-faster,  _faster-_ she needed to get there as soon as she could!

Her hand reached the handle, and she burst open the door.

Her father, head in his hands, looked up at her.

She observed the room.  _No Asami. Where is she?_

" . . . Dad?" Ikki croaked.

"Ikki." His voice sounded breathless.

"Um." She stood up straight, and looked at the floor. "Where's Asami?"

Tenzin hung his head. "I'm not sure. We were . . . debating on what was best for you, and something struck a chord with her. She got quite upset."

 _This_ got Ikki's attention, and she snapped her head up. "What did you say to her?"

"It was more what  _she_ said to  _me._ "

"I don't understand."

Tenzin sighed and knelt down, eyes not focused on her. "Ikki, Asami is . . . not in a good place right now. The passing of her father may be affecting her more than she'd like to admit, and it's hurting her. I-your mother and I  _both_ think it would be better for you,  _and_ her, if you were to come home. Let her heal by herself for a while."

"What?" Ikki shrugged his hand off, taking a defensive position. "Dad, what are you saying? Being on her own would be  _worse_ for Asami! She's been alone for long enough!"

"Ikki," Tenzin cut in, "we're not saying Asami has to stop seeing you. We just think it wou-"

"No, no, Dad. Stop." Surprised, Tenzin's jaw closed, and was silent. " _You._ You think it's best if I come back to Air Temple Island because I ran away from Asami. Why didn't you ask me first? Why couldn't we just talk?"

He struggled to find the words. He still couldn't look at her. "Ikki, I know you may see fault with my choice, but I'm your father. I'm only doing what I think is best for you."

"I know, Dad."

"You . . . you know?"

Ikki nodded. "Yeah. I do. I know everyone's been worried about me. I know I've hurt a lot of people by pushing them away."

Tenzin paused. "So, does that mean you're coming home?"

"No." She said, "no, I'm not. Dad, I feel better here. Asami helps me. I help her."

"But-your recovery-"

Ikki smiled at him. "Not everything is going to be easy for me, Dad. Being at Air Temple Island isn't going to make me any better faster than being with Asami. Everything is going to be a bumpy ride."

"Your mother-"

"Dad, stop." She placed a finger to his lips. "Dad, please. I know I'm a little kid, I know. I know Mom is scared about me being so far away. I get it, I really do. But you've got to listen to  _me._ Listen to what I  _need._  And I need to stay with Asami. Not just for me, but for her, too."

Tenzin straightened up his collar. "Do you truly think that?"

"I do, Dad. I want to stay with Asami. Being with her helps me feel better, and I help her to focus on something other than work, or her Dad. I miss everyone back at Air Temple Island, I really do." She sighed.

Her eyes then looked straight into his. She didn't break away.  _Remember this, Dad._ "I want to stay with Asami. And you're not going to change my mind."

For a moment, everything seemed clear. The minute those words escaped her lips, Ikki felt  _clarity._ The greys surrounding them washed into colours of every type, and at the centre of it was her gaze on her father. She held steadfast, despite the fear. In spite of it all, Ikki remained strong.

_I want this, Dad, don't take it away from me._

"You truly want this."

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm-hm."

Tenzin stroked his beard. "I want for you to come home, but you're defiant in staying right here." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I won't force you away, as you are clearly getting better here, however . . . I do think it's time you saw your family again, even for a short visit. It's been five months, Ikki. They miss you. Jinora especially."

She slumped. "I know they do."

"How about we work out some kind of compromise for the situation, then?"

"A compromise?" The very thought had her curiosity peaked. "How?"

"Simple. You stay here with Asami, for the time being.  _But,"_ he raised a finger, "you decide how long each week you want to come back to the temple."

"You mean how much time I want to spend with Mom and the others."

"Exactly."

Ikki bit her lip. "And you won't mind how much time I suggest?"

"It has to be reasonable," he warned, "but no, I won't argue with what you decide. It's your choice, after all."

She cupped her chin, sat crossed-legged on the floor, and squeezed her eyes shut so she could race freely through her mind. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, filled with dust and herbs from helping out Yuen-sai and taking Tuyen on their fast-rack venture, and she was looking more like a wild vagrant than the granddaughter of the previous Avatar. Ikki didn't care much for her appearance, however. She was thinking too much of other things to truly care about that.

"Two days. Two days and one night." She concluded.

Tenzin knelt down next to her. "Is this what you want?"

"Yeah, that's what I want." Ikki smiled, "it means Asami gets weekends to herself to do whatever she wants to do, without worrying over me. Maybe Korra could take her out somewhere nice."

"Korra certainly is  _fond_  of her."

Ikki giggled. "You have no idea, Dad." She then stared him straight in the eye. "But . . . that means that Asami can visit the island anytime she wants to, no matter what. Even if I'm not there with her. She's a part of our family too. Okay, Dad?"

"Okay."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"You swear not to break it?"

"I swear on anything I can give."

Ikki's chin trembled. "Dad, can you look at me now? Without . . . being afraid of me?"

"Did I hurt you?" His voice sounded pained.

"Yes."

"If I said sorry, would you forgive me?"

"Y-Yeah . . .."

"I am so  _sorry,_ Ikki." Ikki collapsed into his arms, and began to sob. She felt her father's chin quiver above her, and then a few splashes on her hair were felt. "I'm sorry, my Ikki. I've been such an  _idiot._ You did nothing wrong. I am so proud of you. I am so,  _so_ proud of how far you've come. Even if an old man like me doesn't show it much."

"Don't look away from me again, o-okay?"

"Oh, sweetheart," He picked her up in his arms, and held her close. "The world would have to take my eyes before that happened again. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm so sorry."

"I-I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, sweetheart. I always will."

* * *

Sunlight filtered through the wilting foliage of the tree like the artificial lighting cracked through the blinds in her office, and even then, Asami found the light upon her to be fragmented and broken up into tiny little pieces. The snow began it's soft descent into the world below, combining frozen water with ash from the heat of war. A mixture not unknown to Asami, and something she had come to recognize on sight.

She sat there, underneath that tree, looking out at the vast emptiness beyond the alienage. Though she had intended to stray further, a thought nagged in her head that she shouldn't run too far. Perhaps it was work that called her, or a secret hope of being found. Either way, she remained. Sat down, legs crossed, and eyes barely open a slit.

 _Why did I call him 'Dad'?_ She questioned over and over. Truth be told, she had an inkling of why.

Maybe Tenzin was right. Maybe she wasn't able to look after Ikki.

Asami clenched her fist and closed her eyes. She drew a deep, sharp breath through her nose, and groaned on the exhale.

"May I sit?"

Her green eyes widened to regard the person next to her. Head-to-toe in traditional Air Nomadic garb. Blended with modern clothing adapted by her own design.

"S-Sure." She stammered, turning her head to look at her hands fiddling with the hem of her sleeve.

"Beautiful view." He commented.

Asami didn't think so. "It's common."

"Ash mixing with snow is common to you?"

Asami made no further expansion on the conversation. Tenzin sighed and stroked his beard. The tension in the air seemed entirely one-sided, and Asami didn't find that fair. Still, she could hardly complain over such matters. It was her own hand she had placed in the fire. It was only natural she'd have the burns and not him.

"It seems I've made a lot of mistakes in the past few years." Asami slowly craned her head to see his expression. It was one of distant regret. "With Korra, with Jinora . . . and now, with Ikki. Maybe I was too old when I became a father for the first time. Could have blamed it on reckless youth."

Despite herself, Asami smiled. "You have always been hot-blooded for an airbender."

Her jape caused an earnest chuckle. "Perhaps. Or maybe I gained that trait from being near Korra for so long."

Asami ducked her head down. "Tenzin, listen, a-about . . . about earlier. I didn't mean-I mean, it's true Ikki needs to decide what's best for her-not that you don't have any input, and maybe I let my own emotions interfere-what I mean to say is . . ."

"Do I remind you of him?"

"Pardon?"

Tenzin cleared his throat. "Your father. Is there something in him you see in me?"

"I . . ." Asami's voice died along with her composure and she buried her head in her hands.

She heard Tenzin lean back against the tree, and place a hesitant on her back.  _Of course he would feel awkward,_ Asami thought to herself,  _I'm not part of his family, I've not had a close affiliation with him like Korra has, and even he, Mako and Bolin have had sparring matches. Where do_ I  _fit into all this? When did I ever fit in? I was "Mako's girlfriend" when they all met met me. Even after all this time, I still feel . . ._

"I didn't know him well. Hiroshi, that is." His voice interrupted her thoughts, though she still couldn't look up at him. "I know he was a brilliant inventor. I also knew that your mother, Yasuko, she was a writer?"

Asami felt her throat close up. "Yeah. She wrote articles and poetry."

"You know, some of her books are in Air Temple Island's library. Jinora liked reading them when she was younger."

Asami let that fact linger in the air, as she lifted her head and gazed at Tenzin with uncertainty. "You . . . you mean that?"

"She was a talented woman." Asami folded her arms across her chest in order to keep her slamming heart from shattering the bone and tearing the skin, and she watched Tenzin with a sorrowful intensity, as he spoke words she never thought possible to hear again. "Though I don't remember any of her words from memory."

"I . . . see." Doubt trickled into her mind.  _I don't remember much of her words either._

In the distance of the alienage, Asami spied Bon and her other engineers finishing up repairs on one of the heating systems that had been supplied by Cabbage Corp. The sweat glistened off their foreheads like they were in the middle of an Earthen summer night despite the cold, and Asami's eyes widened as they continued their hard work.

At first, they had doubted her. Doubted her abilities to take over an esteemed company at just nineteen years old. Why wouldn't they? She barely knew what she was doing. Stumbling through the world of paperwork and business deals with the dust trailing off behind her. Yet, they had stayed. Perhaps out of obligation to her father, or her mother, or simply because they were loyal to her.

Asami held her head high.  _Why have I been piling all this on myself?_

"You do remind me of him."

Her words made Tenzin turn in surprise. "Pardon?"

"My father. You do remind me of him." Emerald eyes glossed over as the sun hid behind the clouds. "He wasn't a perfect man, Tenzin,  _agni_ knows he wasn't. A part of me still despises what he did all these years." Her heart began to pound against her chest, and she felt a hot flush of anger boil her blood. "How could I  _not_ hate him? He tried to kill me, kept the fact he was funding the equalists-using my  _mother_ as a means to manipulate me into joining him! And even after all that, he sacrifices himself for me-for the city  _I_ repaired?"

A bitter smirk wiped away her mournful expression, "yet I still  _care._ Agni knows why, I still care. I still can't forget the man that raised me, that protected me, that  _cherished_ me. He tried to steer my life in a way that I wouldn't get hurt because of the trauma I went through watching my mother die."

Surprise shook Tenzin to his core. "You watched . . .."

Asami smiled a little. "I was under the bed."

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

Asami shook her head. "It's alright. You don't need to be sorry for that." She sighed deeply, and wiped under her eyes. "I guess for a moment, earlier, it was like I was talking with him again. I was angry and upset. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." She found that there were more words to say. "But you  _did_ remind me of him. Limiting Ikki, shutting her away from things that could help her . . . it was too familiar. At the same time, I know how much you love Ikki. All your children. Seeing firsthand how worried you were about her was exactly what my Dad was like. I see that in you."

Tenzin covered his mouth and coughed sharply. "Well. Thank-you."

A little amused, Asami managed a light laugh. It then turned upside down, and she looked down at the ground that had been littered with the remnants of spring. "I guess it doesn't really matter how I saw him now. I just wish . . ." Asami sighed. "It doesn't matter."

Tenzin paused, until he stood up and walked around to kneel in front of Asami, looking her dead-straight in the eyes. The sudden movement meant she had to hold herself up by the palms of her hands (serving as a pillar of support), and was utterly shocked by the tender look on his face.

"Asami," he placed a hand on her shoulder, "your father has passed on. But if he had any semblance of humanity in him, I know he would have been  _proud_ to call you his daughter. You, are the one who is saving my daughter. For that, I owe you  _everything._ If you were my child, I wouldn't hesitate in announcing my pride in you to the world."

Her mouth hung agape, and her throat dried up faster than a draught in the east. "Y-You-" She cut herself off, embarrassed by the squeak in her voice.

"Don't deny your sadness, Asami." He told her the words she would never be able to forget, "out of anyone, you're the one person I would say is the most entitled to grieve. And if seeing echoes in your father in me helps in anyway, then I'll do what I can to make you feel better."

"I-I  _can't-_ there's too much-I-I-" She rambled, forcing herself to look away.

The warmth from his hands on her shoulders was too familiar. Too much like her parents.  _Too much._ But she couldn't pull away. She seeked it.  _Craved_ it.

Tenzin wouldn't let her go, though. She felt his words pull her back to reality. "You helped Korra, and everyone else all these times, and didn't expect a word of thanks. You had _every_ reason to turn away, but you didn't. Do you honestly think you have to fight this battle on your own?"

". . . Yes?" It was more a question than an answer. The lines blurred along with her vision.

"You don't." He told her, "you don't, and if I can bring comfort in anyway, let me know."

Those were the last clear words Asami remembered from that moment, as her sobs broke into wails and her composure shattered. She fell forward into Tenzin's arms, and for the first time in ages, she felt  _safe._ Korra had brought her comfort, and she would always appreciate that, but the hot tears that streamed down her cheeks because of Tenzin's paternal urging brought her  _closure._

A hole in her heart had begun to be sewn by her clipped heartstrings. She had to tug on the knots to know they were now, and the untangling would be long, but it was possible.

She didn't need easy. She just needed  _possible._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] From the movie Soul Surfer, which depicts a girl's journey to relearn surfing after she lost her arm in a shark attack, and having a large reliance on her family and her faith in order to achieve her dreams. So, guess what was a big inspiration for this fic?  
> [2] Ikki has barely ever seen her parents apart, and Tenzin never visited her much without her mother.  
> [3] My headcanon after the battle in Republic City is that Bolin went back to Zao Fu to help with repairs there, and to get back into the good books of the rest of the Bei Fong family. Opal actually tried to get him to stay in Republic City, but Mako insisted he go and do what he can to mend the relationship between that family and himself. Plus, y'know, Lavabending. Good for defences after the remnants of the Earth Empire. A group that loyal won't abandon Kuvira's goals completely.  
> [4] The Operator that Bryan shipped Mako with (was sat next to Mako during the evacuation scene), in my mind, is genderfluid and is named "Harumi". They may make a brief appearance in this story, but only as a cameo appearance.


	13. I Left My Heart In Republic City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is happy for once. No, really. They are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit - 10th September 2016 - No further plans to continue.

Acceptance began with change.

Winter still howled on in the heart of Republic City, and though it had pained Ikki to leave the Water Tribe alienage she had come to love so much, she was confident that they would continue to be happy.

Kesuk had approached her just before she boarded the airship, as with the other students of his class. The look on his face when she had bowed to him and thanked him for his lessons would be something she would never forget. Yuen-sai couldn't make it to see her off, but Kesuk had given her hs regards.

She would miss everyone there. Kesuk and his lessons, practicing her moves with the other students, Tuyen teaching her the meanings of flowers, not to mention the airy room of the tent she'd shared with Asami . . .

Of course,she would miss it. How could she not? The memories here were permanent.

But she also missed her home. Everything about Republic City (even the meditation lessons with Otaku) was calling her. Her heart ached for home.

So it was time to go back.

"Make sure that you write to me every day, okay? You promise me that you will!" Tuyen urged her, clasping her hand with both of hers.

Ikki just grinned. "I will don't worry! But you might not be able to read it very well, though." She pointed out. "I can't write all that good with my left hand yet."

"I don't care about any of that!" Tuyen had surprised her with a heartfelt plea and her brown eyes full of tears. "Just make sure you don't forget about me!"

The airship ignited its engines again, and Ikki knew it was time to go. Still, she nodded at Tuyen with a great big smile. "How could I forget that I found my best friend in the whole world here?" Tuyen looked up at her with a watery expression, and Ikki noticed how flushed her cheeks were from crying.

She then bit her lip and scuffed her foot against the floor.

"Ikki?" Tuyen noticed how quiet she was being, "what's wrong-?"

All of a sudden, Ikki snatched her hand away from Tuyen's grasp, before placing it on her shoulder and pressing an airy kiss to the girl's cheek. It lasted for a second, but it was enough to attract the heat to Ikki's face instantly, and she backed away with locked shoulders.

"I-I'll see you soon!" She stammered and looked away, trying to ignore the teasing smile on Kesuk's face. "S-So don't think I'll forget you!"

Ikki never saw what Tuyen's reaction was to her action, as she had run off into the airship before giving into the temptation of looking back. She ended up leaning against the closed door, hand over her heart and flushing to the tips of her ears.

The journey back to Republic City wasn't especially long, but Ikki found the hours were spilling into empty air. Her father had opted to go back on his bison, and Asami was busy reading through some old papers to prepare for . . .

Ikki scratched her chin. She didn't really  _know_ what it was Asami was doing. But she wanted to find out.

Jumping down from the rafters, she then walked along the steel corridors toward Asami's office. The metal was cold underneath her bare feet, but she enjoyed the chill. It reminded her of the winter back home. Yet it was also similar to the ice igloos back at the alienage. Maybe home had become a mix of the two.

"Asami?" Ikki knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

There was no answer. Odd.

Ikki tried to peer through the keyhole, but to no avail. She knocked again. "Asami? Are you here?"

Still, no answer. Ikki hesitated, before gripping the handle.

"I'm coming in, okay?"

She opened the door and let it swing, and her gaze softened at the sight. With a little giggle, Ikki walked on in.

Draped over her desk, resting on her arm, lay Asami Sato. Papers were scattered all over the top of her desk, and the ink from her pen had run down onto the floor into small splotches. Luckily nothing had spilled onto her documents, so Ikki guessed she wouldn't worry in the morning.

Ikki sauntered over to her with an impish grin. "You're all sleepy again? Silly Asami." She whispered to the slumbering mechanic. A soft breath was her answer, and she had to stifle another laugh. "Daddy was right: you do work too hard."

With light-footed steps, she picked up all the documents up, ordering them into piles she thought correct (or those that possessed similar titles), quickly cleaned up the spilled ink, and disposed of all the screwed-up pieces into a nearby bin.

Asami was too heavy to heave into the bed by herself, so Ikki opted to cover Asami with a blanket and lay her head on a pillow on the desk. It was a little awkward to spread it out with just the one hand, but Ikki adapted well enough to be reasonable. Once covered, she took a step back to look at just how  _tired_ Asami was.

It had been a trying few months for the both of them. Asami had lost her dad the same way Ikki's arm had been torn away from her: by saving someone.

Yet through the rubble, they had found each other.

Throughout everything, they had each other. Asami wasn't her mother, her sister, or her blood. She was Asami Sato: the woman who had found her in the rain and had taken her away from the cold. The one who had offered a light of hope, even though Ikki had nothing to give her as thanks.

But even Asami had her limits, and Ikki realised there was no such thing as an all-giving person who didn't need to sleep sometimes. Saviours didn't exist, not really.

Asami Sato was no saviour.

But Asami, as Ikki had learned, was an example. No matter how many times she was knocked down, bruised, or beaten; she continued to  _try._ Try to prove that she was more than what people's whispers made her look like.

Korra was the Avatar. But she was born into the world where people would respect or fear her at birth. Asami was human from the start.

Ikki smiled and brushed a piece of loose hair from Asami's face.

"But it's okay for you to work hard sometimes. That's just who you are." Ikki crouched down to hold Asami's hand. "You know, Asami? One day I'm going to make you smile as much as you made me smile." For a moment, her gaze wandered over to the mass amount of books by Asami's bed. An idea came to her head, and she smiled when it began to solidify.

Before she moved, she turned back to Asami and gently kissed her cheek. "I think I'll need Daddy's help on it, though. So you'll have to wait a tiny bit longer, okay?"

After that was done, Ikki took her seat on the edge of Asami's makeshift bed, pulled out one of Asami's engineering books, and began to read. But on occasion, she would glance upwards, just to see if she was still sleeping.

Asami Sato had never looked so peaceful.

 

* * *

 

(Asami woke up later, cloaked in a blanket of warmth. For a moment, she was confused. But looking at the sleeping girl on her bed, with straggly hair and lain in an awkward position that only Ikki could find comfortable, she understood.

She put the books away, turned Ikki on her side, and took the role of peacekeeper from the girl. It was the least she could do. But there was only one thought on her mind;

_She lights up the room with her smile, and she doesn't even know it.)_

* * *

 

"So it's done, then?"

Korra wiped her forehead clear of the sweat that built up from a hard day's work and sat on the floor. She tilted her head upward to see who was speaking and rested back on her hands.

"Yeah, for the meanwhile. Hopefully, there shouldn't be any more problems between the Earth Empire soldiers and the residents of the village. Though it took a  _lot_ of persuading and negotiating." Korra explained before a hefty sigh drew from her lips. "They've agreed that the Earth Empire soldiers can take ownership of the lower mountainside, and the villagers will be left with the ports and beaching borders. It's still causing tension but . . . well, we can work it out in due course."

Suki chuckled and sat down next to Korra. "Not shoving your fists in their faces like usual?"

Korra shrugged. "Nah. Turns out that doesn't always work."

"Neither does diplomacy." Suki took a sip of her tea. "You're bound to run into some problems in the future."

"I  _was_ tempted to get Naga out at some point . . .." Korra mused. "I just hope it's enough to ease the tensions for now."

A light breeze danced out over the fishing village of Kyoshi Island, and the sea air wafted through Korra's senses. It was tranquil here. Moreso than she'd ever experienced.

"You know, Korra," Suki's elderly voice gently let down the peace. "I do wonder: when was the last time you did something for yourself?"

Korra's head snapped to look at Suki. "What do you mean?"

"Aang was a generous and all-loving Avatar, for the most part." The mention of her past life (now severed) made Korra's heart stop. "But even he knew when to let himself have a moment to himself. You've been working non-stop since you came here with Ikki and Asami. Aren't you homesick?"

"I . . .." Korra bit her lip and looked back out at the sea. "It's not that simple."

"You're a young woman, Korra. You're not just the Avatar."

Korra pursed her lips tightly. "I took three  _years_ to myself, Suki."

"No, that was getting better." Suki closed her eyes and pressed a finger to the betrothal necklace pendant. "You're still young, Korra. Haven't you waited long enough?"

"I don't know what you're-"

"That Asami girl. You've got feelings for her." Korra froze in her spot and felt herself going pale. "Why are you holding back?"

Her mouth felt like sandpaper. "H-How-" She squeaked, and coughed sharply to try and hide her obvious embarrassment. "How did you know?"

"Aside from all your ramblings of how wonderful she was?" Suki smirked when Korra blushed. "Love has become a common sight to me, Korra. I spent every day seeing it when I was with my Sokka." She finished her cup of tea and poured herself another. "So, why are you holding back?"

The thought hit Korra harder than a sparring match with Bolin. Why  _was_ she holding back?

Korra wasn't oblivious. From her whirlwind romance with Mako, that much was certain. She knew the atmosphere between she and Asami had changed since her return. If she were honest with herself, Asami snapping at her had hurt more than she had thought possible. Like her heart was made of glass and the impact of how  _pained_ Asami was at her absence shattered it, lodging it in her blood.

When Asami cared about someone, she either cared too much or not at all. And Asami cared about her.

 _Why_ was she holding back?

"I-I guess I . . .." Korra scratched her chin. "I don't even  _know_ why."

Suki set aside her tea and sighed. She then covered Korra's hand, making Korra jump a little. "You listen to me, Korra. I'm old, and I don't have much time left." She covered Korra's mouth with her other hand when she went to protest. "Don't argue with me. I know I don't. I've lost many people I care about over the years, and each time, a piece of me has gone with them to the beyond. Life is too short to think of 'maybes'."

"So . . . what, I should just tell her, damn the consequences?"

"I didn't say that," Suki raised a finger to her. "But think of it this way: when was the last time someone told Asami Sato that they loved her?"

"Ikki does-" Korra stopped herself. "No, you're right."

"I always am. Now off you go, and go get your lovely . . . girl?"

Korra smacked her palm to her forehead. "Suki, you know that I love you to pieces, but I beg you, leave the nicknames to other people,  _please._ "

Suki laughed. "Alright, alright."

Rising up to stand on her feet, Korra dusted off her parka, before glancing back down at Suki again. "Will you be okay here, Suki? Do you need me to send anyone?"

Suki merely waved Korra's concern away with a dismissive hand. "I said I'm old, not  _helpless._ Off you go, now."

Korra smiled a little, wiped under her eyes, and grabbed her glider. She took one last lingering look around the island, before feeling the earth under her feet disappear, and the clouds become her new navigator.

 

* * *

 

"I want to get my hair cut."

The sentence caught Asami off-guard, and she turned to gage Ikki's expression.

She knew the girl could bring topics out of the blue. Living with her for almost half a year had made certain of that. Even when she was doing little more than brushing through Ikki's hair, it still made her stop her actions.

"Oh?" Asami put the brush down and dusted off the loose hairs. "How short do you want it? I'll admit it's getting very long."

Ikki looked down at her lap. "Korra cut her hair when she was getting better. I want to do the same, but not like Korra. I want . . .." She cupped her chin. "I want something that makes me look different, but the same. Sort of."

Asami paused, before getting up off the bed and scanning through a few of her old magazines. They were worn-down, covered with old lipstick stains. She picked one that read: " _Republic City Styles: Hair Edition #47 - Watertribe."_

"How about some of these?"

"This magazine is old." Ikki pointed out.

"I know, I just thought you might like it." Asami opened up the front page. "Why not take a look anyway and just see if there's anything you like?"

Ikki clambered into Asami's lap and pulled the magazine up, using her finger to scan over the glossy paper. She passed by the elegant braids and stylish updos, and Asami noticed her lingering gaze on the short-cropped styles that neared the end pages.

Asami remembered skipping passed those pages and going straight onto the more chic-type styles. How her wavy hair could be styled into ways that would make her father squirm the most. Her rebellious stage echoed all around these pages.

"That one."

Ikki's voice drew her from her thoughts. "Which one?"

Ikki's finger hovered over one style in particular. "This one. I like this one."

Asami's brow rose. "That's . . . a boy's haircut, Ikki."

Ikki turned back to her. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all." She told her in earnest. "It just caught me off-guard, that's all. So the one you want is ' _The Warrior's Wolf Tail'?"_

She saw a blush spring to Ikki's cheeks. "It . . . just sounds really cool." The magazine crinkled under her hand balling into a fist. "My Uncle Sokka had one when he was my age . . . maybe a bit younger. But learning all those moves from Kesuk and speaking with my Aunty Suki about my Uncle Sokka kinda showed me how important the Water Tribes were to my Grandpa Aang and Gran-Gran so . . . why not?"

 _("The Water Tribes are all about family and community, Asami."_ Her mother's words echoed in her head. " _Like water, their ability to adapt to situations to keep their families together make up the heart of the tribes.")_

"I think it will look wonderful on you."

Ikki's head snapped around. "You think so?" She exclaimed.

Asami grinned. "I  _know_ so." She bunched up Ikki's hair and tucked it behind her shoulders. "I'm sure your Uncle Sokka himself would jealous on how amazing it'll look on you."

Ikki ducked her head, and Asami saw how red her ears were. "Do you think, uh . . ."

"Mm?" Asami hummed.

"Do you think Tuyen will like it?"

A knowing smile appeared on Asami's face. "I don't see why not. Why, are you looking to impress her the next time you see her?"

The Airbender buried her head in one of Asami's pillows and let off a squeal.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?"

"Mmph." Ikki muffled as a reply.

Out the corner of her eye, Asami saw the sun begin to rise over the stretch of Republic City. Its golden rays broke through the glass-like barrier of the Spirit Portal, and the heart of the city began to change with the light spread throughout.

It made the room ooze with a soft glow, and soon Ikki came up from her cotton shield to bask in how warm it was.

"Could you cut my hair for me?" Ikki asked.

"Me?" Asami was a little stunned. "Wouldn't you prefer Korra to do it?"

A little childlike laugh was her answer. "Korra's good at cutting her own hair, not so much at styling others. She tried to style Mommy's hair once." Ikki shuddered at the memory. "But I want  _you_ to do it." She glanced at the light. "If that's okay?"

There it was again. That pulsating emotion that made Asami's heart skip a beat and warms up her entire body. There was little more she could do than the smile.

"Okay." She said. "I'd be honoured to, Ikki."

* * *

Her baby sister was coming home.

Ikki was coming  _home._

It may only be for a few days a week. Only one night.

But Jinora didn't  _care_ about any of that. For her sister was coming  _home,_ coming back from such a long time away, and any time they spent together was going to either have her jaw ache from smiling for so long, or have her a weeping mess. Maybe even both.

_("Now don't crowd her," her father had warned her and her brothers. "Ikki has had a very long trip, and she might be nervous to see all of you again. She's been through a lot, but don't think she doesn't want to see you. She just needs time to adjust."_

_That time was now. Jinora's hand began to sweat from how tightly she was gripping the top of the temple spire, trying to find which boat was coming home across Yue Bay._

" _Jinora, get down here already! Ikki will be here soon, so on the double!" Meelo's orders were loud and clear._

_Jinora rolled her eyes. "I'm looking out for the boat!" She called back. "Be patient, Meelo!")_

Wait.

Ikki was coming  _home._

Jinora felt something lodge in her throat. Her face began to prickle with heat. Her hands locked together.

_She's going to hate me. Or she could, the last time she was here, she-_

"Dad." She whispered.

"Is everything alright?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't do this. She-she's going to be upset with me. Asami said I was a trigger for her, I-I can't do this. How do you know she's all better now?" Everything she said came out in a mess of words, and each word stole her breath more than the last.

"Jinora-"

There were no words of condolences. The ship's horn bellowed out any attempt.

First, the boat docked at the temple. Then, after it was secure, it was Asami that began to walk down the gangway. Jinora stifled her breath in her throat: Asami never looked at her family once. She was always looking back at the entrance. Once she stopped, a single small figure stood at the doorway of the ship, on the top of the gangway.

Jinora's eyes widened.

For stood there, was anything but a  _baby_ sister.

Her hair had been cut, tied back, and was the mirror image of her Uncle Sokka in his prime.  _The Warrior's Wolf Tail_ trailed behind her, and it suited her well. Her clothing was an orange and red adaptation of traditional Airbender garb; the trousers were shorter, the tunic had a yellow sash around her waist, and there were no sleeves. A smile, albeit a nervous one, replaced the depressive frown that Jinora had grown accustomed too in the aftermath of Kuvira's attempt to take the city from the United Republic.

But what Jinora saw change most in, were Ikki's eyes.

Grey was the colour of Grandpa Aang's eyes, and those eyes saw a future for the world he had woken up in. She saw that in Ikki's eyes. They glowed with the light of the portals, shone with the absolute rising of the sun, and they were  _beautiful._

 _Ikki_ was beautiful.

She walked with airy steps toward them, and it was only when she drew closer that Jinora saw she was trembling ever-so-slightly.

In quick succession, every one of her family greeted her. Her mother, with a teary hug and a gentle chastisement; Meelo, with an indifferent series of wails and Ikki sheepishly patting his hair; Rohan, with a toothy grin for his big sister that she returned in kind; and her father, with another warm embrace.

"Jinora?"

It was her turn, next.

"I-Ikki." She stuttered. They were at arms-length from each other, yet neither made the first move.

They had poured out their feelings in letters, but when real life dawned on them, words from their hearts escaped into the unknown. Jinora was  _terrified._ She had restored the light to the Avatar, faced spirits larger than her childhood monsters, but seeing her little sister again?

Jinora stared at her with a strained look, muscles tense.

"Are you-"

"It's good too-"

They laughed off the awkward overlap, and Jinora rubbed her arm.

_What do I do? Why is nobody intervening?_

Well, she already knew the answer to that question. Her family (Asami included) had backed away from the two of them slightly, giving the two girls space. To work things out between them, or to make it more awkward than it had to be, or . . . Jinora wasn't sure, to be honest with herself. Either way, the thick tension was suffocating her.

"Jinny?"

Her head snapped up and shot her gaze at Ikki.

"Y-Yeah?"

Ikki's strong stance had betrayed her, and her posture faltered. Her knees had buckled, and her shimmering eyes had filled to the brim with tears.

"I-I'm sorry."

Jinora once heard a saying that those who were fated to stay together for all their lives were connected by an invisible red ribbon. Though the notion was ridiculous to her, if that legend existed, then those ribbons pulled her legs along into a run.

With one swift motion, Jinora caught her younger sister in her arms, and both of them fell to their knees.

"Jinny, I'm sorry! I missed you! I'm  _sorry!"_

Ikki began to wail as loud as a babe's first cries, cradled only by the arms of her older sister.

"D-Don't say sorry, you don't have to be sorry. You don't have to be sorry for  _anything_." Jinora held her close, feeling her eyes sting and her nasal passage barricaded. "You don't have to . . . be sorry, Ikki, everything's okay now . . .."

(" _Jinora?"_

_Jinora was stirred by Ikki's voice, and she looked down at the smaller girl in her arms. "Yeah?" She whispered back._

" _Are we ever going to go back home?"_

_The skies were darker now, and their home was a small orange light on the horizon. Grandpa Aang's statue was covered in a glow._

" _I don't know, Ikki. But Airbenders used to roam with each other." She held her tighter. "Because the home was with the people they loved, not the buildings they set up."_

" _Really?" Her beady eyes made it hard for Jinora to cover up the fact that no, they may never go home again._

_She swallowed. "Yeah. Plus, I won't let anything happen to you. I'll never let anything bad happen to you."_

" _I know that, Jinny. You're my big sister. Even if you are a nerd."_

 _Jinora buried her face in Ikki's hair._ _ **I know I'm your big sister. So I won't let them hurt you. Not now, not ever.**_ )

Dried tears shimmered down both the sister's cheeks, and Jinora finally looked up.

"Hey, Ikki, look."

"Mm?"

Jinora smiled a little and pointed out toward the horizon. Melting snow dripped into the canal, paving way for green shoots to poke up out the cracks in the earth.

"Spring is on its way."

* * *

 

> _**Dear Tuyen,** _
> 
> _Today, I saw Spring with Jinora._
> 
> _Did you know for a while, I used to pretend my other arm was still there? Asami said it was something called a "Phantom Limb", and people that lose them sometimes think they're still there. Or if they were born without them. When I pretended, the skin on it was always cold. Maybe it was the air was always cold._
> 
> _It was Winter in Republic City when I left. As soon as I got back, Spring came as well. My phantom skin, I guess you could call it, always felt the cold air._
> 
> _Now, I can start being warm again. It's going to take time and I'll needs lots of help, but I've decided to have the surgery to have the mechanical arm. Jinny promised to be in the room with me when I have it put on my shoulder. So has everyone else that's in my family. Now I'm wondering why I thought I was alone._
> 
> _But I never was, really._
> 
> _See, when I lost my arm, I thought everyone would call me a weirdo. That I'd change forever and never be normal again. And yeah, that is kinda true. I'll never be the same way again. It still hurts to think about that time when I saved Jinora, and I still get bad dreams sometimes, but that's just something that will take more time to heal._
> 
> _I saw the first blossom on the trees today at the temple. When the petals fall, they look like little dancers. I think healing is like dancing. You have to practice real hard to get all the moves right, and you sorta stumble and get frustrated and want to give up. But you don't, because there's people waiting for you to get better at it, and then you show them how good you are. I hope I can be like that._
> 
> _Maybe I already am._
> 
> _**Ikki.** _

**Author's Note:**

> Because I wanted to write about something other than Korrasami for once, what did I end up writing about? My other favourite little rascal: Ikki. Does anyone else find this girl utterly precious? And I am so glad she got an episode focused on her rather than Jinora or Meelo. I love those other two, don't get me wrong, but...Ikki. She's just so precious. And so I began to think, "well, what can I write about her?" I then began to ponder about possibilities that could have occurred in the series finale. Especially when looking at the scene where Ikki saved Jinora. I thought, "maybe I can expand on this? Casualties of war are rarely just adults or front-line soldiers. Sometimes heroism is done in the smallest acts, but take the biggest amount of courage." Plus, I wanted to expand on Asami's engineering talents to cater to those in need. I'm pretty sure she was the one who designed Korra's wheelchair at the end of the third season, and having Ikki in a spot of being a casualty of war really spurned my interest. I would like to apologize in advance if I am misguided or in anyway offend anyone who has prosthetic limbs, as this is a subject I have not written about before, and whilst I have done my research on this, I am sure I will get some things wrong. If anyone can consult me on how to write this better or to fix anything in the long-run, believe me, it will be much appreciated. I guess it's my idle curiosity on how this world handles certain subjects that implores me to explore it in my own vision, but I know I am bound to get parts of this subject matter wrong. Nonetheless, I hope you do enjoy!


End file.
